Tony's Pride 2
by Emerald Autumn
Summary: Tony and his Alphas are living happily ever after with their growing pups. Or they would be if annoying distractions - old hurts, new foes, meeting the in-laws and the wedding ceremony Pepper is insisting on – weren't messing everything up. They'll get through this rough patch and be all the better for it...right? *Please read the notes. Rated M just in case
1. The Conclusion of Wanda Maximoff

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers or any recognisable characters. I do lay claim to my original characters.**

 **Warnings: violence, mention of mpreg, drama, some description of gore and death, minor character death.**

 **Pairings: Tony/Steve/Bruce/Thor/T'Challa/Natasha/Clint, Pepper/Happy/OOC, Rhodey/Sam**

 **Notes: This took a lot longer than I planned to have this posted. It seems a lot has happened since I posted 'Tony's Pride' and I haven't had the time I wanted to work on it. But it is finally here! I hope I've answered all the questions left unanswered by the first part of the series, however feel free to let me know if I missed something.**

 **Furthermore, most of these chapters read a bit like independent stories but there is obvious overlay so I've decided to post them as one story instead of their own separate entities.**

 **Once again, hand-wavey science, OOC, I completely destroyed canon so don't expect really anything to do with the movies.**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

 **The Conclusion of Wanda Maximoff**

 **Warning: If you really like Wanda, skip this chapter.**

"Was that a pink bunny?" Tony asked his best friend. They were sprawled across lawn chairs in the backyard, sipping the colourful cocktails Clint had been brewing all afternoon.

The sky above Malibu was bathed in brilliant light spread across a blanket of storm clouds. The display depicted a myriad of colours and forms, much to the delight of everyone watching the spectacle.

"It totally was," Rhodey chuckled. He sipped his lime-green concoction, "This is good, what did Clint call it?"

"I have no idea, he's been practising all week and I'm pretty sure he invented about a dozen new drinks," Tony peered into the glass at his neon blue cocktail, "Do you think this will make my teeth glow in the dark?"

"Probably," Rhodey shrugged, "So, Clint makes awesome drinks for special occasions, Thor lights up the night sky with multicoloured animals, what did the others get you for your anniversary?"

"Steve's making dinner, Natasha took me to a spa and we got awesome massages, Bruce made this little love-heart made of something you can only see under a microscope, and T'Challa arranged for all of you to come and surprise me," Tony grinned, "My mates spoil me."

"What did you get them?"

Tony bit his lip. "To be honest, until this morning I didn't think we would be celebrating our anniversary. I mean, we've had so many stops and starts, especially recently. They've only been back in my life for about two weeks." _13 days, nine hours and a handful of minutes but who was counting?_ He still felt bad for not getting his mates a gift.

"Well, you forgave them, let them back into your life and the pups' lives," Rhodey mused, "I think that's a pretty good anniversary gift."

"See, that's what they said, but I still feel bad so I came up with something I've been toying with for a few days," Tony admitted.

"Really? What?"

"I'm going to open up the master bedroom," Tony mumbled.

Rhodey laughed, a hearty belly-laugh and smacked Tony on the shoulder, "You are such a sap. They're going to be tripping over themselves in gratitude."

"You don't think it's too…self-serving?"

Rhodey gave him a look Tony was well familiar with. A mixture of exasperation and fondness. "You're letting your mates back in after they hurt you so badly. They grovelled, you indulged them, now you can get to the kissing and making up stage."

Tony hummed, feeling better about his plans for later, and let the silence wash over them, the only break came when the flashes above them were accompanied by rumbles of thunder.

Tony watched Rhodey's face in the inconsistent flashes of lightning. His expression was placid, calm even, but there was tension in his shoulders.

"Honey-bear, I can tell you're not just admiring the lightning my handsome space-prince decided to create as an anniversary present," Tony drawled, "What's on your mind?"

Rhodey rubbed the back of his neck. "Remember the Omega I've been seeing?"

"Sam something, right?" at Rhodey's nod, Tony asked, "What about him?"

"He's here."

Tony jumped up with a squeal and started bounding back to the house. He heard Rhodey protesting behind him and the loud thump of Thor coming back down to Earth, but he paid neither any mind. He raced inside and skidded into the kitchen where the rest of his mates were busy making dinner.

He scanned the crowd until he came across an unfamiliar face conversing with Pepper. "Hey, are you Sam?"

The newcomer, a tall muscular African American with muscles to match Steve's and a yummy complexion to match T'Challa's, turned to Tony with a hesitant smile.

 _Aww, pretty and shy_.

"I'm Tony, you're dating my brother so it's my job to give you the shovel talk." Tony put his hands on his hips and stared up – damn it, why was everyone taller than him? – at his fellow Omega.

Sam didn't appear offended, he looked pleased. He held out his hand, "Hi, I'm Sam Wilson and yes, I'm dating James."

Tony shook the man's hand even as the name sent a ping of recognition through him. Wilson…Wilson…Wilson… Who was Sam Wilson?

With a jolt it came to him and he took an involuntary step back, almost lurching because his muscles had obeyed a command his brain hadn't sent. It was his flight reflex kicking in as he remembered where he had heard that name.

"Sam Wilson, as in, Falcon?" his voice sounded odd. Strangled. He could hear a faint roaring in his ears almost drowning out the sounds of his Alphas all moving in closer.

"Yes." Sam looked wary, his hesitant smile gone as his eyes darted from Tony to the Alphas surrounding him.

"As in the same man who went with the Avengers to take down a Hydra base and instead came back with that twisted little…witch?" Tony's voice was strangled. Where was the air?

Sam's eyes widened, mouth dropped open – to talk? – but Tony didn't stick around. He turned and fled past his Alphas and up to his room. He still slept alone in the room across from the nursery. The Alphas all slept in their own rooms or bunked together. For now, the master bedroom was still sealed.

Behind the door to his bedroom, he flittered around in the luxurious open space that suddenly seemed much more cramped. He paced between his bed and the bathroom to the dresser and the window then all over again.

Sam Wilson.

Why had he never put two and two together. He'd heard from Steve that Falcon was a military man, Rhodey was too. Because of their shared proximity to the Avengers, it was likely that they would meet. Rhodey was dating a Sam, but that was a common name. There were tons of people named Sam.

Maybe he hadn't wanted to see the connection.

Tony exhaled shakily and ran fingers through his hair, digging into his scalp. The pain grounded him for a moment, let him pause. He closed his eyes.

Why was he really upset?

Because the wounds left by Maximoff's attack were still very raw and open. It had been only two weeks since that day in the laundry room where they'd all hugged it out. The lawsuit was officially dropped, Maximoff was in Dr Strange's custody, they were all together and happy, their eight-month-old pups were flourishing under all the attention…it was all perfect.

But meeting Sam Wilson and remembering that he had been there when Maximoff got her claws into Tony's Alphas was something he hadn't been prepared for. He'd been kidding himself, it seemed. He was far from okay.

"Tony?" Steve's voice made him flinch, but he called out to let the Alpha come in.

He found himself sitting on his bed, hands clasped together tightly as he stared down at his feet. Steve rumbled soothingly and curled around his back. The noise settled something in him but also made him start shaking.

"We still don't know what she did. What she planned to do," Tony whispered, voice wet and shaky with tears.

Steve trembled for a moment then tightened around Tony. "I know. But we'll find out and face it together."

They sat in silence for a time. Tony listened to his Alpha's breathing and reminded himself this was real and strong and good. Then there was another knock at the door. Pepper entered, took in the scene, then moved to crouch by Tony's feet, taking his hands in her own smaller ones. She rubbed the knuckles and tensed wrists until he relaxed enough to let her pry the hands apart. She held them in a warm, firm grip, kissed each palm then looked into his face. He met her eyes.

"I spoke to Dr Strange before coming here and I was waiting until tomorrow to tell you," she murmured, "He's going to perform Maximoff's interrogation. You don't ever have to see or hear from her yourself. He'll relay everything he hears. If that's what you want."

Tony nodded robotically that he understood. She continued to peer at him and he realised she was waiting for him to tell her what he planned to do. He wanted nothing to do with Maximoff, but somehow…he had to hear everything from her. He couldn't do it through a third person.

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"I need…"

Pepper studied his face. Nodded once. "Okay, I'll ask Strange to wait until we're there before beginning."

"What? There's no way I'm letting you face that…creature again!" Steve burst out, his grip on Tony tightening.

"She won't know I'm there. Strange will make sure of it," Tony murmured, "I need to hear it in person. I need…to know."

Steve growled, low and angry but didn't leave. He buried his face in Tony's neck and licked where the bond mark would go. Something else that needed to be sorted out soon.

"Okay, before you two get carried away, dinner is ready and tomorrow is hours from now. You have plenty of time to think of how you're going to handle this during the long flight to New York." Pepper stood and held out her hand to Tony. Steve loosened his grip and stood as well.

"I'm not hungry," Tony whined a little, feeling unsettled with eating at the same table as Falcon.

"Yes, you are. Now, I know you're embarrassed you ran like a chicken but it's time to be a big boy and come downstairs," Pepper waved her hand again and Tony finally took it.

"I didn't run like a chicken," he muttered as he descended the stairs.

"No, more like an ostrich. Head buried in the sand kind of thing," Pepper retorted over her shoulder before breezing away and leaving Tony without the chance for a comeback.

 ***** Page Break *****

Dinner wasn't as awkward as Tony thought it might be. He sat at the opposite end to Wilson and couldn't even see the man past Steve's bulk. It meant that Rhodey was also mostly out of sight but when Tony caught his best friend's eye, the other man smiled and winked. He understood.

The topics were light and the food amazing. Tony found himself loosening up and smiling, even laughing. He noticed that his drinks were quickly changed to non-alcoholic, but he didn't mention it. His old habit of drinking his emotions away wasn't one he wanted to revisit.

After the guests were gone and the pups settled in for the night, Tony lingered in the hallway, wishing his mates good night. Any thought of opening the master bedroom and partaking in that most carnal of pleasures had fled down the drain with the thought of what tomorrow would bring.

He tossed and turned all night. Some time in the early hours he abandoned his bed and wandered into the nursery, curling up in one of the rocking chairs. Around the time dawn was lighting the sky, Steve strolled in, looking tired. Without a word he picked Tony up then took his place, keeping Tony on his lap as they rocked gently.

Tony closed his aching eyes but couldn't stop his mind returning to the day's activities. His stomach was in knots and a cold sweat had broken out on his brow.

"You won't be alone," Steve whispered. "We're all coming with you. Pepper and Rhodey will be over soon to watch the pups while we fly to New York."

Tony shuddered and felt a weight roll off his shoulders, a heavy thought he hadn't known he was carrying. "You don't have to."

"She messed with all of us. We all need to hear it." The voice was soft and firm but trembled just a little. Steve was just as scared as Tony.

"We're finally going to find out what happened during the month she was in the tower," Tony gulped, "Are you ready for that?"

"I don't know."

They lapsed into silence until the pups started fussing for their breakfast. The familiar routine helped ease some of the anxiety building in Tony's chest.

Time was flying just to spite him, it seemed. Almost too soon, the morning tasks were complete, Pepper had taken over the house and the plane was touching down at a New York airport. Tony slipped on his sunglasses and descended from the plane between Thor and T'Challa.

Conversation was stilted as they all piled into the black van that would take them to Dr Strange. The sorcerer would then take them to wherever he was holding Maximoff.

"We will face this together," Thor murmured as they pulled up to an old stone building, "As we should have the first time."

"I, for one, am glad you were on Asgard," Clint remarked, trying for his usual levity, "Can you imagine what she could have made the God of Thunder and Lightning do?"

Tony shivered at the mere thought. It was terrifying to think she'd had the Avengers in the palm of her hand for a month but the thought she could have controlled a being from another galaxy, one as powerful – both literally and politically – as Thor, was mind-numbingly scary.

"Glad you could join us," drawled a deep voice as Dr Strange appeared before them, clad in his full Sorcerer Supreme regalia, "This way."

He led them all inside and then up a staircase into a room with two pillars in the middle. He did something with a ring he wore, and the world tilted at an angle. Tony wanted to run but found his feet…sinking…into…the…floor?!

He gave a yelp as the floor swallowed him up but before he could even blink they were standing on solid ground once more, in a black and white room. The walls appeared round, and the floor looked to be made of mist. There was no ceiling, the walls just curved, like they were in a giant bubble. Tony looked closer and saw the colours of the walls swirling together, constantly colliding and twisting around each other but never mixing.

"This is a prison of sorts, to hold people with certain abilities. Not for the long term, unfortunately, but until we can decide what to do with her, Maximoff is safe and controlled here." Strange stalked forward and Tony followed because he didn't want to get lost in the bubble. Also, he was genuinely afraid the floor might try to swallow him again. _Stupid magic._

"Does this prison have a name?" Natasha asked, voice hard. She didn't like being out of control and this was so far beyond her comfort zone it wasn't funny. Hearing the anxiety in his Alpha's voice made the knot in Tony's gut clench, his nerves jolted with adrenaline and he wished even more that he could run. He reached out and took her hand, relieved when Natasha let him.

"Not really." Strange didn't pause as he led them to a wall of the bubble. He touched it and the surface rippled like water. Tony tensed as the marbled wall cleared to reveal another bubble, inside of which sat Wanda Maximoff. Dressed in an all-white jumpsuit, she relaxed on a chair made from the same substance as the walls. She wore glowing cuffs on her wrists, ankles and neck as well as a metal band wrapped around her head. What looked like burning symbols had been carved into its harsh surface. They pulsed gently but Tony had a niggle of awareness that there was nothing docile or calm about those brands.

"Are you ready?" Strange turned to the group and arched a brow, waiting.

Tony looked to his Alphas, all grim and determined. They stared back at him, letting him decide. Reluctantly, Tony turned back to Strange and nodded. He suspected he was stinking up the place with his distressed Omega pheromones but when he gave a subtle sniff he couldn't detect anything. Not even his Alpha's scents. He swallowed thickly at the loss of their scent but forced himself not to whimper. They all moved closer though, as if sensing his unease.

With a decisive nod, Strange turned and walked through the wall, appearing in the other bubble. Maximoff's head jerked when he arrived then her lip curled up in an ugly sneer. It was a glimpse of what Tony remembered from the night everything had come to a head, and it made him feel sick.

"Your name is Wanda Maximoff?" Strange began. He stood to the side, letting Tony and his Alphas see Maximoff though it was clear she could not see them. She glared at Strange.

"Yes." She hissed, sounding like it had been wrenched from her.

"But that wasn't always your name was it?"

"No."

"What was your other name?"

"Scarlet Witch."

Tony shivered at the pride in her tone.

"Who named you?"

"Hydra, my masters. They named me. They raised me."

"After your parents died."

"After they were _murdered!_ "

An ugly venomous look ripped across the young woman's face and suddenly she looked akin to a demon. She tried to stand but something kept her still.

"He killed them! Took my parents and my brother from me! He murdered them?"

"Who did?"

"Tony Stark!"

Tony whimpered and took a step back. There was such hate in those two words. He'd never heard his name uttered in such a tone. Like she would gladly dangle his corpse before the world then set him on fire to prove a point.

Steve wrapped his arms around Tony from behind but allowed him to remain facing forward. He clutched tighter onto Natasha's hand.

"How did Tony Stark kill your parents?"

Maximoff's eyes lit with an unholy gleam. Not pleasure, but pain so intense it had driven her mad. "He bombed my village, my home. I sat for days with the corpses of my family lying shattered around me. An unexploded bomb landed two feet from me and it was all I could see. _Stark Industries_."

"When was this?"

Tony's mind went blank when she rattled off a date. A date that coincided with his own spiral into drink and sex. Before the Avengers, before Iron Man. Back when Obie was in charge. Dealing under the table to anyone who could afford it.

 _Obadiah Stane, even from the grave you're ruining me life_.

"Many people used Stark Industries weapons back then," Strange commented, "How can you be sure it was Mr Stark?"

"I don't care," Maximoff made a noise like an angry cat. "It was his bomb. His bombs killed my family, took my life away."

"So, you decided to seek revenge."

Maximoff's smile turned predatory and there was no need for words.

"Did you find Hydra or did Hydra find you?"

Maximoff shrugged, "I don't know or care. They created me. Turned me from a weak little girl into something strong and powerful. Something that could destroy Stark."

Strange hummed. "But you're not a blunt weapon. You're like a poison, you had to give your powers time to work."

Maximoff preened. "I trained. I practised. I learnt how to get into someone's head, how to make them hurt, how to make them obey."

Tony felt Clint shiver at her choice of words and his free hand found the archer's tightly clenched fist, soothing the rough fingers into relaxing then gripping onto his own.

"Was it your idea or Hydra's for you to go to that base?"

"Mine. They were too focused on retrieving their asset," the scorn in her voice was evident. "I was tired of waiting."

Steve made a noise at the word 'asset' and it didn't take a genius to figure out why. Asset was the name the Winter Soldier's handlers had used. The Asset aka the Winter Soldier, aka James "Bucky" Barnes.

It suddenly occurred to Tony that Steve might not know about Barnes' capture by SHIELD. Fury had wanted to keep it under wraps, so he probably hadn't told the other Avengers, what with the whole brainwashing mess going on at the time. It was probably something he needed to bring up later.

Zoning back into the conversation, Tony heard Maximoff brag about how easy it had been to fool the Avengers. He heard his Alphas shuffle and grumble but kept his gaze on Maximoff.

"What was your plan?"

"I wanted him to lose everything before I killed him," her smile was sickly as she peered up at Strange. "I'll settle for just killing him now."

"So, you brainwashed Mr Stark's courting Alphas, turning them against him, then pushing him out of the Tower. You then influenced them to fight for custody of their pups."

Maximoff shrugged, "I was going to make sure they won, then have them kill the pups."

Shocked whimpers and moans came from behind Tony as he stared in horror at the monster before him. She would have murdered his pups. Just thinking of how long they'd been exposed to her made him shiver. Had she done something to the pups?

Strange must have thought the same thing because he asked that very question.

Maximoff wrinkled her nose, "They're ugly, smelly things, why would I have anything to do with them?"

Strange inclined his head so he must believe her. Tony relaxed a little.

"While you were in the Tower, what did you do?"

She smirked, "That would be telling, sweetheart."

Strange waited. Maximoff's smirk slipped and instead she frowned. She started panting, clenched her fists. She shook. "What did you do to me?"

"That collar on your head inspires you to tell the truth," Strange replied calmly, "You've heard the expression 'the truth will set you free'. Well, this marvellous device quite literally embodies that philosophy."

Maximoff shrieked and struggled. Red mist curled and writhed on her skin. Tony took another step back, remembering that red mist from the night his Alpha's had hurt him. However, it didn't seem nearly so threatening when it couldn't seem to reach more than an inch past her skin. It bubbled and fizzed on her flesh then retreated like a surly beast.

With one last shudder, Maximoff went limp. Her eyes dazed, she started reciting everything she had done while in the tower. In a monotone voice she delivered a lengthy recount of what she'd done each day. Tony listened as she described working her magic on his Alphas, slowly corrupting them into believing Tony was a bad choice. Strange had been accurate in his assessment. She was a poison, a slow moving, undetectable venom.

Not once did she mention persuading any of the Avengers into her bed. It wasn't only Tony who slumped with relief at the revelation. Maximoff admitted to having the Avengers buy her things and put accounts into her name.

"Note to self, call the bank when we get home," Tony muttered, surprised by how raspy his voice sounded.

"I bet Pepper's already fixed it," Natasha murmured.

Tony smiled a little.

"So, while you were there, you never physically or sexually hurt the occupants of the tower?"

"Sex is for you lower evolved creatures," Maximoff replied loftily, "I am above such urges."

"More like, no one would be willing to touch that much crazy with a ten-foot pole," Clint grumbled. No one scolded him for his words.

"So, you became Scarlet Witch to hurt Tony Stark, am I correct?"

Tony was a little surprised by the sudden switch in topic.

"I was always Scarlet Witch."

"Birth records indicate you were born Wanda Maximoff." From nowhere, Strange produced a document which he laid in front of her on a table that manifested from the mist-floor.

 _This place is seriously trippy_.

Maximoff frowned, for the first time looking confused. "I am Scarlet Witch."

"But you were born Wanda Maximoff. You had a mother, a father and a twin brother, Pietro. Do you remember Pietro?"

Nodding, Maximoff frowned at the paper before her but said nothing.

"The name Scarlet Witch was given to you by your handlers within Hydra. After you were successfully integrated with the power they possessed, they gave you a name, so you could ditch your old life. But you never could. You always returned to your obsessive hatred of Tony Stark."

"I am Scarlet Witch," the woman looked more like a girl now, "I am Wanda Maximoff."

"You are both and neither. You are corrupted by the immoral and frankly hideous experiments performed on you."

Maximoff shook her head but Strange continued, "Do you remember how your brother died?"

"Pietro died with our parents."

"No."

Maximoff's eyes snapped up at that one word and glowed red, violent red. "You lie." An unnatural hiss and growl tumbled from her throat.

"You and Pietro both joined Hydra. He volunteered for the experiments alongside you. Do you remember the name they gave him?"

"No!" Wanda started struggling again, dark veins bulged on her arms as she threw herself against the restraints. "No, no, no, no, no, no!"

Her cries of denial devolved into tears, great racking sobs that stole her breath and shook her slender body. The dark veins bulged and grew on her arms, snaking their way up to her face.

Between one howled denial and the next she shrieked one word, "Quicksilver!" then she screamed so loudly Tony wondered how Strange was unbothered by the noise.

Maximoff slowly slumped over to the side. Her red hair covered her face but couldn't hide her bare arms still bulging with dark red veins, unnaturally large and pulsing with a red that was not blood.

"You killed him Wanda Maximoff." Strange delivered in a calm tone, "You lost control, killing him by accident. It wasn't the first time you hurt him, but it was the last. After that, your handlers deemed you too hazardous and tried to execute you. They failed. You killed them all and went on the run. Somewhere over that journey your mind warped the events until you believed a new truth. You re-joined a Hydra contingent, using your power to convince them you were meant to be there. Then when the opportunity presented itself to hurt Mr Stark, you took it. Bringing us to the present."

Maximoff didn't move. Strange stepped forward and carefully moved her back into an upright position.

Tony lurched back at the sight of her face. The red veins had crawled up her neck and swarmed over her cheeks like giant cracks in the dirt. Blood dripped from her ears, her eyes and her nose. When she was upright, she spat at Strange and blood dribbled down her chin, darkening her pristine white outfit.

She looked like a mess, an inhuman experiment gone wrong. There was nothing intimidating about her snarling, bleeding figure, her loose limbs and drooping body. She was a being held together by madness and twisted magic. There was no saving a being already gone.

Strange turned and faced the Avengers, inclining his head as if asking a question.

Tony shook his head, licked his lips, "I think we're done here."

 ***** Page Break *****

Tony chewed on his favourite cookie while sipping a mug of delicious coffee and realised they both tasted like ash on his tongue. He numbly set them both down and stared into the dark liquid in the antique-looking cup.

After Maximoff's breakdown, Strange returned the Avengers to the real world. Outside the bubble prison, the air was cool on Tony's sweaty skin, but he felt chilled as he wrapped his arms around himself. Was this shock?

Strange settled them into a cosy little dining nook and supplied them with their favourite treats. Tony wasn't the only one picking at their food. Steve hadn't touched his pie, Thor hadn't chugged his mead, even Natasha hadn't done more than sip her favourite vodka. After what they had just seen, food wasn't really their top priority.

"So, did Hydra mess her up or was she already messed up by losing her parents?" Natasha asked, the first person to speak.

The question was directed to Strange who lingered in the corner. The sorcerer shrugged, "Impossible to tell. Her mind is so full of loops and holes that I doubt even she knows."

"She may have always been a little disturbed," Bruce commented, turning his tea cup around and around in his hands, "She just needed a catalyst."

"And that catalyst was me," Tony muttered.

"No, not you," Steve protested.

Tony shook his head, "It was my weapons. I let them out of my sight, let them be used in such a way. I was responsible for all that. The Merchant of Death."

"Stane did that," Natasha reminded him, tone cool and sharp, "You didn't know and had no reason not to trust him. He was your godfather, more of a father than Howard ever was."

"I still designed those weapons, created them," Tony murmured, "Obie had nothing to do with that."

"No. It's true. You made those weapons," Clint leant forward, "But you didn't sell them to every crime lord in the world. You made them for the military because of your best friend."

Tony swallowed thickly and forced a sip of coffee down his throat. It burned but not because of the temperature of the beverage.

"Obadiah Stane was the one responsible for all of those things," Steve insisted, "It was just your name on the box."

"The name everyone came to hate because of it," Tony sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. "I was too drunk, too high or not around to take responsibility for where my products ended up."

"If you had been, you would have been killed," Natasha stated bluntly, "Stane kept you under his thumb and every time you thought about slipping out from under it, he distracted you. If you had opposed him when you were younger, he would have viewed you as a threat and arranged an accident."

Tony shivered, thinking about his parent's murder. Had Hydra orchestrated that or had Obie? He wasn't sure he wanted to know. "He still did in the end," Tony pointed out, "Not an accident exactly but a plot to remove me."

"Yes, but you were ready for it. Whether you believe it or not, you were more prepared for the obstacles you faced that day than you would have been even a year earlier." Natasha's calm, confident gaze made something warm and fuzzy curl up in his chest.

"Regardless of what you have done," T'Challa spoke up for the first time, "You are a different man, a better man. You are righting wrongs and accepting consequences. You are a braver man than most."

"But they still hate me," Tony murmured, ashamed at how much he cared in that moment. He didn't usually let it bother him, how much the public seemed to despise him sometimes. But right then he felt raw and exposed, vulnerable.

"They need someone to hate," Thor commented softly, "They fear your brilliance, your light, and they hate you for outshining them all."

Tony whined and reached for his Asgardian Alpha. The big blonde picked him up and cradled him close. He gave a watery chuckle, "You certainly have a way with words."

 ***** Page Break *****

They returned home that day and sought refuge in the house. Tony, for one, was mentally exhausted by witnessing Maximoff's interrogation.

"I didn't do anything but watch, and I'm still ready to sleep until next week," Clint complained around a yawn. They were all settled in the living room, some nameless comedy droning from the TV in the background. Pepper had offered to stay but Steve had been the one to politely refuse, saying they needed some Pride time.

"I keep thinking about all she could have done to the pups," Natasha murmured. She lay stretched out on the couch, on her back with her head in Bruce's lap. The vulnerable position was as disconcerting as her tone, almost defeated. "We let her in, a danger to our Pride, and we are so lucky she didn't have the forethought to do a lot worse. With us under her thrall, she could have ordered us to hurt the pups, send them away. Anything."

Tony swallowed the bile in his throat and curled more into Thor's side. The blonde Alpha rumbled and stroked his hair.

"How did we not see it?" Steve whispered hoarsely.

"How did JARVIS not see it?" Clint asked, straightening from his spot on the back of the couch. "Why didn't JARVIS alert someone to what was going on?"

"J?" Tony asked.

 _'_ _I apologise most vehemently that I was not able to protect you, Sir. The behaviour displayed by yourself and your companions changed so subtly that my processors could not determine the true cause. I assumed they were merely changes brought on by your changed circumstances. Stress makes humans behave erratically.'_

Tony sighed, "It's okay, J. No one's infallible, apparently not even advanced AIs."

 _'_ _I wish you were not correct, Sir. In the future I will endeavour to monitor any changes closely and intervene when necessary'._

"It might be a good thing you didn't notice, J," Bruce commented, "If you'd raised the alarm before Tony was out of the building, Maximoff might have decided to accelerate her plans. She could have convinced us to hurt Tony or the pups, even each other."

Tony shivered to think he hadn't been safe even surrounded by his Alphas. "Now I'm glad you all ignored me for four weeks." He yawned and stretched, allowing levity to lighten the words. But when he looked up he realised it had fallen flat.

"I don't think I apologised for that," Steve murmured, "Leaving you alone."

"You did," Tony disagreed hastily, "You all said sorry so many times I lost count. And I'm a genius, I'm good with numbers. The way I see it, you've apologised, I've accepted, we can move on."

"But have you really?" Clint's eyes were unusually sombre as he stared at Tony. "Have you forgiven us?"

Tony blinked in surprise because hadn't he just said that?

"It can't be that easy," Bruce agreed, looking crestfallen. He rubbed his brow like he had a headache, "I mean, we showed up here two weeks ago to grovel and, in a few days, you said you forgave us."

Tony groaned, straightening up from Thor's side. "Why are we rehashing this?"

"Because I think there's still some things we need to work on," Steve remarked grimly.

"What makes you say that?" Tony huffed.

"How about where you chose to sit?"

Tony looked to the Alphas on either side of him. Thor and T'Challa. He frowned at Steve. "So, every time I don't sit with one of you, it's because I secretly haven't forgiven you and am holding some sort of grudge. Do you know how exhausting that sounds?"

Steve looked mulish and Tony rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Capsicle, we're okay. Are we as good as we were, no, not yet, but we'll get there."

"What about Sam?" Natasha piped up without moving from staring up at the ceiling.

"Sam?"

"Wilson. The guy you had a panic attack over just yesterday."

Tony groaned. "Fine. So, I'm not over it. None of us are. We'll work on it, right?"

Silence reigned, and Tony gave another dramatic sigh, "Come on. Do you want me to hold you responsible for the rest of our lives? Keeping score? Maybe bring this up next time we have a fight? Alright, I'm petty enough that I might but we all have things in our past, mistakes we wished we could undo. Mine are quite literally published in most magazines. Are you going to bring that up every time we fight?"

"We did though, didn't we?" Natasha murmured. Her calm voice somehow taking the wind out of Tony's sails. "We brought up your past when we rejected you. Are you telling me you've moved past that?"

 _How did she know that?_

Tony couldn't remember going into details about that final experience. In fact, he'd made a point not to. Had Strange said something? Maybe Pepper? Or were they remembering? The thought wasn't as comforting as he thought it should be.

Before Tony could respond – though to be honest he wasn't sure what to say that wouldn't end up circling right back – the phone rang.

It was Dr Strange, informing them that Maximoff had died just a short while ago.

"She was never stable," he murmured, sounding tired and shaken, "Whatever they did to her, to create the monster she became, it was always volatile, according to her moods. The power may have corrupted her, or vice versa. But it was slowly killing her since the first procedure. Every time her power flared, it destroyed something more in her, until it was really only her power keeping her body going."

Tony thought back to the wrecked face of Wanda Maximoff. He shuddered and wondered if those veins had been filled with her tainted magic. No matter how much the girl had hurt him, he hadn't wanted her to die like that. By the sound of Strange's voice it hadn't been a pretty ending.

"She's really dead?" Steve rasped.

"Very. Her magic imploded. There's not much left of her body."

Tony blanched as his imagination conjured up that horrifying image. "Thanks for the nightmares, Doc."

"Apologies."

"She's not suffering anymore," Thor remarked, "A being that twisted and remorseless cannot achieve redemption in the living world. I imagine she is being reunited with her family in whatever afterlife the Cosmos has granted her."

Tony tried not to think about the haunted edge to Thor's eyes. He remembered a pale, twisted face with glowing blue eyes surrounded by shadows. A grim, gaunt smile. A body moving like a puppet on a string. Thor's brother might not have been as twisted as Maximoff, but it was certainly right up there.

He glanced at Clint and saw a pained expression on his face. The archer would never forget that face either.

Tony didn't ask whether the interrogation they had witnessed had been the cause of Maximoff's death. Some things were better left alone.

 ***** Page Break *****

Three days after their interrupted anniversary party and the encounter with Maximoff, Tony once more found himself standing outside the room to the master bedroom. He hadn't been in there since he'd moved in and put a bookcase in front of the door. He'd had plans of somehow secretly setting up a Pride bed, especially now they were officially engaged. But his Alphas had been particularly clingy, and one was always hanging around.

"J, what's the best place to go to for a Pride bed?"

JARVIS rattled off several American suppliers and even a few in France.

"Sounds like I need to do some research."

 _'_ _Might I suggest, Sir, involving your intended mates in the final decision. It will be their bed as well, after all_ '.

"Good thinking, J. It might finally be the thing to shake them out of their funk."

He found his Alphas all curled up in the living room, some dozing, others watching something on the Discovery channel. Food wrappers and bowls littered most surfaces. Tony wrinkled his nose at the mess. Ever since Maximoff's death, his Alphas had all been in a slump. They'd even somehow roped T'Challa into the moping.

"Wow, and you guys are always complaining about me being a slob," Tony snarked as he edged around plates and leftovers to gingerly take the only seat available, by Steve's feet.

"Hey, Tony," Steve murmured. Mumbles of the same echoed from the rest of his Alphas.

 _Gee, I can feel the love_.

"Okay, guys, seriously, what's with the moping?" Tony huffed.

Shrugs all around. Tony rolled his eyes. He shut the TV off and stood in front of it, gaining everyone's attention.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, mostly because I can't believe it has to be said," he took a deep breath, "I am not your mother. I should not have to clean up after you while you laze around feeling sorry for yourselves. It's a beautiful day outside, the pups need some sun so I'm going to set up a play area in the garden. I expect you all to clean up, get dressed, and meet me out there."

With that he turned on his heel and stormed upstairs. So much for discussing beds. He grabbed blankets and a few toys and carted them outside. As he passed the living room he heard movement but didn't glance in to see if his Alphas were cleaning or settling deeper into their depression.

He found a nice spot in the sun and set up some umbrellas for shade. A cool breeze tickled his nape and he shivered. He stretched and inhaled the warm air. It was indeed a lovely day.

As he turned to go back inside for the pups, he found his Alphas already trudging towards him. They weren't exactly looking their best but they were wearing clean clothes and the pups were appropriately dressed as well. He sighed at the image they painted. All his pups and their sires.

Well, all but one.

Pasting on a grin, Tony greeted them and set about arranging the pups on the blankets. The pups squealed and wriggled, wanting to explore. Tony let them, watching from beneath an umbrella as his babies rolled and crawled around. The Alphas perched near him, keeping an equally observant eye on the pups.

After sitting in relative silence for a time, Tony stretched and said, "So, what's been going through all of your heads?"

His Alphas all hesitated, looking guilty. It was Thor who responded with, "We apologise, Tony, we did not mean to act as we have. We have been discussing where we go from his point and…"

"We got depressed thinking you'd give up on us, take the pups and run," Clint mumbled. He plucked at the grass by his side, tearing it into little pieces then letting the breeze take them.

"I thought I was the insecure one," Tony sighed, rubbed his brow. "Look, we made mistakes. You forgave me for running off with the pups when Ross came knocking, right?"

"That's different," Steve protested.

"Of course, it's different. How many times are we going to be harassed by madmen intent on cloning a super soldier to do their bidding?" Tony snorted, "Furthermore, how many times are we going to be assaulted by an unstable magic wielder determined to hurt us?"

Silence. A few side glances.

"We got through it the first time, we can get through it this time too," Tony said, keeping an eye on Clint who seemed determined to avoid everyone's gaze. Thor looped an arm around the smaller Alpha and tugged him into his side. Clint shuddered and turned his head into Thor's chest, then gave a deep sigh and focused weary eyes on Tony.

"We're a team, more than that we are mates," Tony reminded them, meeting all of their eyes, "We've been through some tough times and we probably will again. Everyone does, or so I'm told. Now, a few weeks ago I said I was going to fight for our relationship, but I wont if you're all not going to try, because that's almost worse than doing nothing. So, what's it going to be?"

More silence. Tony looked away, tried to calm his heartbeat. He watched his girls all piling onto Storm who seemed to enjoy the attention.

"I love you, Tony," T'Challa spoke first, "I am with you, until our final sunrise."

"I too, am here until the end of time." Thor rumbled.

The other Alphas all uttered the same sentiment, promising to stay. As they spoke, Tony saw them each seem to become bolstered by their words. They sat up straighter, muscles relaxed, smiles began to form.

"You guys are such saps," Tony sniffed and rubbed his eyes, trying to pretend their heartfelt pledges hadn't touched on his inner gooey emotions. "Damn you all for making me talk squishy human emotions."

"We love you Tony." Okay, said in sync with a monotone, was just creepy. He frowned at their teasing faces but couldn't find it in himself to be mean. Things were looking up, at long last.


	2. Asgardian Traditions

**Asgardian Traditions**

They imported a bed from France to occupy the master bedroom. When it arrived, Tony stood back and watched his Alphas all but tripping over themselves to get it set up. He considered teasing them for a few days, letting them stew. But one look at all the eager eyes and goofy grins weakened his resolve. They ended up christening their new bed that same day and ruining the brand-new sheets.

Afterwards, Tony lay in a blissed-out puddle of goo sandwiched somewhere between everyone. He wasn't even sure which end of the bed he was facing. He was on his back, so, breathing, that was the only important part for the moment.

"I can't feel my legs," Tony complained in a soft mumble. Deep chuckles and a throaty purr greeted the statement. If he'd had the ability, he would have rolled his eyes at their evident pride concerning their performance. "Yeah, yeah, I'm surrounded by super Alphas with the super stamina and the prowess and the…other stuff I'm too tired to name."

More chuckles.

"Good thing you're on birth control or we totally would have just knocked you up right now," Clint mumbled, sounding giddy and sleepy.

Tony jolted at the mention of pregnancy then remembered the shots he'd started taking after weaning the pups. He sighed with relief. He really did not want more pups just yet.

"Is that something you might want some day?" Steve asked, after a few long minutes of silence. He levered himself over Tony to stare into his face with an earnest expression, "Having more pups?"

Tony hummed, "Someday I think so. But we've got ten pups as it is so not any time soon." He paused then asked, "Is that something all of you want?"

A deeper thoughtful silence ensued. Tony regretted breaking that blissed out moment but now the question was out there, he found he wanted the answer quite badly. He'd never really thought of kids before the pups. They had always been an abstract, _someday_ thought. Now, they had ten and though he didn't miss the constant feedings, changings, and other routine care, he found himself oddly curious to experience it all from the beginning. He'd never given birth, was he even capable?

"I would like more pups," Steve was the first to break the silence, "I've always wanted a bigger family. I wished for siblings while I was growing up and Bucky was the closest thing I had."

Tony twitched at the mention of Caleb's sire. He wondered how that situation was going. He'd had a talk with Fury the day before the Avengers showed up but hadn't heard anything since. He made a mental note to contact the pirate to find out what was going on.

"I adored having a younger sibling," T'Challa commented, "I alternatively wished I had a brother and was glad that I had no other siblings."

"How was that ever resolved?" Tony asked.

"We grew up, as all children do. Went our separate paths. We are not as close as I sometimes wish we were, but we are still family and I would not trade my sister for anything."

"My brother traded me to the guys he owed money too," Clint remarked, sounding bland and detached. His spy-voice. "I escaped and never looked back. I loved him until that moment."

A short silence.

"Well, that was depressing," Tony drawled quietly, "That doesn't answer the question to more kids though."

Clint hummed, "I think it would be nice to see you grow all big and round with pups. Feel them move and stuff. We missed that with our first litter. I want that."

Tony made a face thinking about being big and round but didn't comment on it. Clint sounded so wistful. He'd come from nothing and had little in his life as a pup or an Alpha that he could lay claim to. Tony supposed that might inspire a need to create a strong family unit. He waited to hear from the others.

"I would like more kids if you're willing, Tony, but I don't think I want to be the biological father," Bruce sounded tired, "With the Hulk…there's too many unknowns. What if the pup was more influenced by the Hulk than Dani and Kaela? It could hurt you or any other pups in utero."

Tony frowned, "There's no evidence they would do that."

"That's nothing saying they wouldn't either."

Tony sighed, "Fine, if you won't want pups of your own, that's fine. I'm not going to force you."

Bruce made a soft noise, somewhere between a sigh and a groan.

"I would greatly desire another child," Thor rumbled, "However I do despair of the problem concerning our differing age limitations. People on Asgard live for millennia, people on Earth live for a small fraction of that time."

Tony gulped. He hadn't thought about that. Judging by the tension in the silence following Thor's statement, no one else had either. Thor was much older than them and would be alive long after they were old bones in the ground. As far as Tony knew, all his pups save for Storm, were pure human, enhanced or not. Storm may favour Tony's genetics, or Thor's or a mixture of both. It was impossible to tell and Tony couldn't bring himself to ask if anything similar had happened before. He had a sinking feeling the story would not end well.

Storm would, in all likelihood, outlive them all. He would stay young and handsome while his littermates and any younger siblings aged and died. Would it be right to set another child up for that same fate?

"Let's save that conversation for another time," Tony rasped "We still haven't heard from Natasha."

A long moment of silence then Natasha finally spoke. "I believed I was infertile. The Red Room…sterilised everything else about me. I can't create milk the way Pepper will be able to for her and Cassandra's pup. I'm not even sure I would be fertile enough through natural means for you to carry our pup, Tony. For all we know, Ross tweaked the DNA or something to allow the egg to be fertilised."

"Well it resulted in twins so I'm guessing you're not shooting blanks, so to speak," Tony remarked, "We can run some tests if you want, see if it's possible."

"No," Natasha's voice hardened, "I don't want to give anyone else the opportunity to use me like that again."

"Which reminds me, we need to contact Fury and have our samples either destroyed or put under some serious lock and key," Clint drawled.

 _And I need to call him concerning a certain former assassin_. Nick Fury would be getting a lot of calls over the next few days.

"So, we still have some kinks to work on but is everyone saying yes to more pups in the future?" Steve asked.

Murmurs of agreement rose from each of them, followed by a warm comfortable silence. Until the first cry from one of the pups reminded them that the day was not over, and the pups still required their dinner.

 ***** Page Break *****

Thunder rumbling across the sky could mean any number of things. To most it meant that a storm was coming. To Tony it often meant his Asgardian lover was feeling particularly amorous. He fondly remembered one time after a particularly rowdy session between the sheets, receiving a call from Pepper telling him to keep it down.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _'_ _Sir, you have an incoming call'._

Tony groaned, "JARVIS, can't you see I'm busy." In fact, he was very busy – trying to get the circulation back to his limbs. Thor, the smug bastard, was reclining back against the bed's headboard, unashamed of his nudity and flaunting those damn biceps. Wearing that sexy smile. Moving the sheet down a little.

Wait, hadn't JARVIS said something?

"Repeat, JARVIS." Tony shuffled into a better position, grimacing at the sore muscles and other discomforts. It made Thor look even more smug.

 _'_ _The call is from Miss Potts, Sir.'_

Tony whined but reached for his phone. JARVIS connected the call and Tony braced himself. There was no good reason Pepper should be calling at this hour.

"You're worse than having a noisy neighbour," Pepper ranted as soon as Tony tentatively uttered a greeting, "A neighbour you can complain about. Who do I complain to about getting an alien God evicted from the planet, so I can get some sleep?"

"What are you talking about?" Tony asked, baffled. How could Pepper hear them from all the way across town?

"That freaking super storm you and lover boy created by having sex," Pepper fumed, "Good God, Tony, it's been going on for like three hours!"

Tony opened his mouth to respond but was at a complete loss about what to say. He glanced at Thor and covered the phone, "Do you know anything about this?"

Thor grinned wider, "Aye, when we share our passions, my powers temporarily leave my control. As I am the God of Thunder and Lightning, the most common reaction is that a storm is created above us in declaration of our lovemaking."

Tony wasn't normally one to blush but oh, boy, was he turning beet red now. "So, everyone knows we had sex?" He totally did not squeak.

Thor shrugged, "They know a storm suddenly surged above the Tower. They do not know the cause. Though I assume your media outlets will begin to speculate."

Tony groaned and uncovered the phone. "Sorry, Pep, I had no idea."

"How could you not know?" Pepper growled, "This happens _every time_! I didn't mention it the first few times, but this is getting ridiculous. Tell Thor to stop…doing…something! I don't know! I'm tired and frankly sick of waking up to all these thunder storms."

Thor, not in the least bit offended, in fact he puffed up proudly and stated loud enough for Pepper to hear over the phone, "I am expressing my love to my future mate, no one can fault me for that. I apologise for disturbing your slumber, Lady Pepper."

A long moment of silence followed where Tony thought Pepper had hung up in frustration. Then her voice came over the speaker once more, strangled and high, "Mate?"

Oh, Gods, Goddess and the Cosmos. He'd forgotten to tell Pepper he was formally courting the Avengers.

The following conversation – see ass chewing, and not in the fun way – took care of the sweet afterglow. Thor stuck around for the whole tirade which Tony commended him for. By the end of it, he'd somehow promised to buy Pepper a new pair of shoes, to show up at some fundraiser he'd been dreading, and owe Pepper something in the future, which she would collect in some painful way.

 ** _End of Flashback_**

So, thunder could be a good thing. Especially since they were far from Pepper and she wouldn't be calling to complain. But when Thor wasn't in bed, and there hadn't been any storms predicted on the weather channel, a thunder storm might have a completely different undertone.

Climbing from bed – somehow without disturbing the others – Tony wrapped a robe around his naked body and made his way downstairs.

He found Thor standing in the backyard, beneath the tree they'd had a picnic on just that day. The Asgardian wore only sleep pants and had his arms crossed across his chest, blonde hair whipping around wildly in the agitated breeze.

"Thor?" Tony called as he approached, "Is this your doing?"

There was just enough light from the porch to cast Thor's expression into detail as he turned. He looked a mixture of furious and helpless. Like he was angry about something but knew he couldn't prevent it.

"What's going on?" Tony asked as he reached the tall God.

For a long moment Tony thought the Asgardian would ignore him. Thor seemed to regard him with solemn eyes before he turned away to stare into the darkness. "I am sorry for waking you, my love."

"Don't worry about it," Tony quickly assured him, "At least we didn't wake up Pepper this time, right?"

Thor gave a short nod then lapsed into silence. The only sound, the thunder rumbling overhead and the wind whistling in the trees.

"Am I going to have to guess?" Tony prompted.

Thor sighed, "No. I apologise, my love." He turned to Tony, "My mother has called me back to Asgard. My father is demanding my return so we can settle the line of succession once and for all."

Tony swallowed thickly. The last few times Thor had returned "home", he'd come back more than a little worse for wear.

"When do you leave?" because the look on Thor's face said clearly that he was going.

"Soon, but that is not why I am upset," Thor made a low growling noise and rubbed his face, the movement jerky and tense, "Mother has requested that I bring you and Storm."

Tony's instinctual response was to scream, _Hell no!_ and he barely held it in. He had no intention of letting his child go to a place that could be dangerous for him. Dangerous for all of them. Thor had been _confined_ when he disobeyed Odin. On Earth, Thor couldn't be contained by much of anything. He could survive plummeting to the ground in a glass box, for God's sake.

"Why?" his voice was strangled, and he didn't bother to hide it.

"To meet you," Thor replied, "My father no doubt wishes to test you."

"That doesn't sound at all intimidating," Tony grumbled, "Not at all like he's setting me up to fail."

Thor said nothing which made Tony feel worse.

"If we don't come?" he asked, dreading the answer.

Thor met his eyes, "If you do not come willingly, Odin will send guards to retrieve you."

"That sounds dramatic," Tony quipped before he could stop himself. "Rhodey was wondering just the other day if all Asgardians have a flare for the dramatic. Guess I might finally have an answer."

"I will keep you safe," Thor vowed.

"But who will keep you safe?" Tony asked miserably. "Like it or not, I'm a liability to you in Asgard, and while you're vulnerable protecting me, there's no one there to have your back."

"There's us."

Tony jumped, turned and saw the rest of his Alphas all lined up a short distance away. How had he not heard the door?

"You wish to join us?" Thor asked. He sounded relieved but also wary.

"Of course, we're not letting Tony jet off to parts unknown again. Last time it took us months to get him back." Steve crossed him arms, the personification of stubborn defiance.

 _God, I love that man_.

"What about the other pups?"

"We'll take them too, it'll be a family vacation," Clint sauntered forward, grinning wildly.

Thor nodded, suddenly looking more confident. He turned to Tony and raised an eyebrow in a silent question.

Tony looked to all his overbearing, protective, mushy Alphas and sighed, "Fine. But I call shotgun."

 ***** Page Break *****

Travelling by the Bifrost was not what Tony expected. He would never admit that he thought it would feel like it was described in the _Harry Potter_ series. Was he disappointed? Not really. Having a hook shoved into his gut sounded disturbingly similar to his time in Afghanistan. Still, having the mythos of teleportation disproved by a comfortable journey more akin to riding an elevator, was a bit of a letdown.

Seeing the golden giant guarding the portal was certainly not.

"Holy crap, and I thought Thor was huge!" Clint yelped when he had to look up and up to peer into the amused face of the golden knight.

"Heimdall," Thor greeted the man in gold with a nod, which the other returned with an ancient grace that made Tony wonder how old the Asgardian was. "This is my mate, Anthony, my Pride mates, Steven, Clint, Bruce, Natasha and T'Challa. Our children, Storm, Caleb, Aaron, Daniella, Mikaela, Alexis, Vanessa, Matthew, Maria and Ryan."

Heimdall swept his gaze over them all and offered a small smile. Tony had the feeling the man didn't smile much. "Welcome to Asgard. I am to escort you all personally to your suite where you can rest and freshen up. I believe you have an audience with the King and Queen before dinner tonight."

"Thank you, Heimdall," Thor gestured for Tony to stick close to him, which he had no problem doing. The new guy was seriously huge.

A woman waited outside the dome that housed the Bifrost portal thing. Tony found himself struggling to withhold all the questions he had. He could see Bruce and even T'Challa doing the same.

The woman stood beside a floating crate that seemed to house several fur-lined bouncy chairs for babies. She smiled upon seeing them, "Prince Thor, honoured guests, for your convenience I have procured this stroller for your use during your stay. It will allow you to keep your children close while also occupying them with a variety of stimuli."

"That's a stroller?" Clint sputtered, "It looks like something from a sci fi movie."

The woman shot a confused look at Thor. Thor smiled reassuringly at the woman, "Never mind, Estelle. Thank you for your thoughtful gesture. I'm sure we will much appreciate it." Without hesitation, he placed Storm onto one of the little chair. The pup woke and started to fret but before Tony could calm him, a soft crooning noise emanated from the stroller. Storm settled and looked drowsy again.

"This isn't going to magically teleport our kids away at some point, is it?" Tony asked, half joking. Still, he placed Caleb into the chair next to Storm then stood back for the others to place their own offspring.

"It is an impressive litter," the woman stated, smiling at Tony, "Few Submissives have pups in such large quantities."

"Submissives?" Tony asked curiously as they began to move. The stroller started edging along beside them, hovering and humming quietly. He wondered if he could get the specs for it. He would make a killing back home with this kind of device.

The woman, Estelle, looked confused once more, "Is that not what you call yourself? Your secondary gender?"

"I'm called an Omega back home," Tony explained, "My Mates are called Alphas."

"Ah," Estelle looked around at the group, "Here they will be referred to as Dominants."

"Good to know."

They chatted amicably as they made their way across a long rainbow bridge that pulsed with light. It looked to be made of glass almost, thick glass but it still had that transparent quality.

Estelle proved to be a very intelligent and friendly companion as they wove their way from the bridge to the palace. Many people stopped and stared at them, Tony tried not to let it bother him. But he heard whispers and was sure at least some of them weren't the nice kind.

When they reached the palace, Heimdall bid them goodbye and started making his way back to the bridge.

"So, he just came with us only to go back again?" Bruce asked.

"You are important guests," Estelle replied, then whispered, "And I'm not much of a protector should the eager masses try to converge upon you."

"Eager masses?" Bruce asked.

Estelle gestured behind them and Tony noticed for the first time that they had picked up a trail of people. They all watched Tony and his Alphas, some with smiles, others with neutral faces. It was unsettling to have so many eyes on them. At least back home, the people only had metaphorical fangs and claws, who knew what this crowd could have.

The palace was huge, the hallways simply massive in height. It was a grand, ancient, place and Tony could practically feel the magic in the air.

Estelle led them to a room then wished them a friendly goodbye. She turned and disappeared around a corner.

"She seemed nice," Bruce remarked.

"Maybe too nice," Natasha retorted darkly.

"You didn't sleep with her, did you?" Tony asked Thor.

Thor shook his head, "No I did not. She is a Dominant and has been mated to her Pack for several decades now."

"Pack?"

"Like our Pride."

Tony made a contemplative noise. The culture seemed not too different from Earth, at least in terms of secondary genders. Everything just had a different name.

He turned and eyed the room. It had several large beds displayed amongst the other furniture. A large fire place, several book shelves and other decorations. The pelt of some giant creature stretched out across the otherwise marble floor. Glass doors led out to a balcony. The only other door in the room was open and Tony peered in to see the biggest bathtub he had ever seen. At least he assumed it was a tub, it looked more like a pool.

"Who wants to try out the tub with me?" Tony called, already stripping. The sound of clothes being thrown about indicated he wouldn't be bathing alone.

 ***** Page Break *****

"Why is everything in this place so massive?" Clint asked, darting between portraits and artefacts that lined the hallways, "I mean, the guy at the portal thing was pretty big but even he's not big enough to require the use of ceilings that tall."

"Some of our allies are quite tall," Thor remarked, "The Allfather designed these halls with just that in mind. Some halls are smaller, frequented by staff and, on occasion, lovers seeking a discrete exit from festivities."

"Familiar with those hallways, are you?" Tony asked tartly.

Thor merely grinned, "I was never one for discretion, my love."

"I don't know if that lets you off the hook or not."

Before Thor could respond, the woman sent to fetch them, an older but still beautiful looking maiden, announced they had arrived. The woman had never offered her name and when she regarded Tony and the Alphas from Earth, there was a slightly pinched look around her mouth and eyes. Upon landing on Thor, her eyes softened. It was obvious her disagreement was with the "aliens", not her prince.

She curtsied to Thor then swept away without acknowledging anyone else.

"Whew, bitter much?" Clint quipped, not so loud that the woman could hear as she left. He turned to Thor, "Did you sleep with her or is it one of those unrequited crushes?"

Thor blushed, which was saying something as the Asgardian typically had no shame, "I never slept with her."

"But she wanted you to."

"Perhaps."

Tony frowned around at the extravagant halls, "Just how many of your former conquests are we going to meet on this tour?"

Thor arched a brow, "I am hundreds of years old. I have not been a monk. That is in the past."

Tony wanted to argue. That mean little monster called jealously had latched its claws into him deep. Not that he really had any room to protest. He had his own string of former love interests. Which was the only reason he didn't press the issue further.

The doors they had been deposited in front of opened. Harp song floated to them as they were ushered into the room by a man who looked like a guard. All golden armour and chainmail.

The man held the door open then closed it before resuming his position beside another man in the same uniform. They remained still and on guard as Tony and his Alphas passed. He had the childish urge to poke one and see what happened.

"Let's not keep the in-laws waiting," Steve pasted on a smile and nudged Tony along, as if he had guessed Tony's thoughts. Natasha did the same to Clint who looked most disappointed.

Down another short corridor, Thor led them into an open room that looked similar to the suite they had just left. However, there was no bed in sight, merely a large table, covered in delicate cloth and decked with fine cutlery and candles.

At the head of the table sat three people. A man with a white beard and hair, wearing a golden patch over one eye and decked out in a brown tunic and golden robe. He did not smile nor rise from his seat as they entered, but his one pale eye fixed on Tony and his Alphas with a startling amount of intensity. This could only be Odin, Thor's father.

"I think we found Nick Fury's albino twin," Clint whispered, and Tony barely swallowed the startled laugh that burbled up his throat.

Thankfully, Clint's comment was drowned out by the woman next to Odin, rising to her feet with a heartfelt greeting to her son. The woman possessed long, blonde curls elegantly plaited and drawn up onto her head. Her eyes sparkled with mirth as she strode from her husband's side, wearing a gold and white dress that appeared to have actual gems sown into it. She embraced Thor who returned the hug with the ease of someone who loved the person they were holding.

"Who did you bring with you, Thor?" Odin called out, sounding cool and bland.

Thor's expression immediately became guarded, but a small smile touched his lips as he gestured to everyone in his Pride, "I present to you, my Omega mate, Anthony, and my Pridemates, Steven, Clint, Bruce, Natasha and T'Challa."

"I did not request that you bring them all," Odin remarked.

"We are a Pride, a Pack, would you expect nothing less from anyone else?" Thor challenged.

"But you are not 'anyone else', you are my son. More than that I am your king, and I expect to be obeyed," Odin retorted. The woman, Frigga, glared at her husband and after meeting her eye, the old man sighed, "Never the less, they are here so we may as well make the best of it."

Thor growled, low and angry, at the dismissal. Tony squeezed his hand in what he hoped was a soothing gesture. The grateful smile he received was worth it.

"Come, dinner will be served momentarily, I imagine you are all hungry," Frigga swept a warm look over them all before landing on Tony. Her grin turned cheeky, "Come sit with me, Anthony, we have much to discuss."

Tony smiled and followed her. He wanted to ask her to call him Tony but wasn't sure it was allowed.

 _Can I even ask them to call me 'Tony' or is that against some royal regulation?_

Before he could ponder any further, his attention was drawn by Clint's loud exclamation, "What the hell is this?"

Tony found Clint glaring, teeth bared and eyes afraid, at the third person who had been seated at the table.

It was a young boy, maybe five years old or so. Unlike the rest of the royals, he wore a black outfit with green accents. His hair was black and the eyes that stared back at him were bright green. He didn't recognise the boy until a familiar smirk touched those lips.

Loki.

Except, the mad God he had known had been so pale, so ill-looking. Crazed, blue eyes outlined by dark shadows in a too-thin face. An adult man, not a plump-cheeked child.

"Hello," the boy purred, "I don't remember you very well, but you seem to know me."

"Thor? What the hell is going on?" Natasha hissed. Tony knew that tone and knew she likely already had a knife or two in hand. If she'd been able to bring her guns she would have, but guns had been forbidden by Thor. Even the Iron Man armour couldn't come with them.

Thor sighed, "I am sorry for not telling you sooner," he gestured to the boy, "During his trial, it was discovered that Loki's mind had been so badly damaged during his…time away, that he was not mentally fit enough to receive punishment, let alone learn from it as is the purpose of punishment."

"You can say the word torture, Thor, I don't mind," Loki called out, looking smug and carefree, but Tony saw the way the boy held himself, how he shifted in his chair so that his back was rested against something solid, how one small hand was resting just inches from a sharp knife. The boy put on a brave front, but he was not unaffected by what had happened.

Tony had suspected that when Loki attacked he did so under another's volition. The Asgardian had been a mess of contradictions in both action and reaction. He'd talked to Thor about it once and the man had responded by saying it was likely after Loki fell from the Rainbow Bridge, he'd been captured by the Chitauri and tortured beyond reason. Thor didn't know the Chitauri and with their massive armada destroyed, there was no longer any threat, but also no answers.

Odin reached over and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. The boy jumped but then smiled at his father, relaxing into the touch.

"So, he was never punished," Clint replied in a flat voice, those sharp eyes never leaving Loki.

"He was jailed in isolation for some years before the Healers were able to stabilise his mind. In doing so, they offered to return him to a younger state, where he could begin again," Thor responded. His eyes, apologetic and misty, swept his Pride looking for acceptance, "He is my brother."

Bruce looked a little green around the edges and Tony left Frigga's side to see to his mate, "Are you okay?"

"Um…" Bruce panted, eyes fixed on Loki. "I think I need some air."

"Right," he turned to Frigga, who was eyeing Bruce with a wary expression on her face, "Do you happen to have a place where my friend can let off some steam? Preferably a place where he can break things without hurting people?"

Frigga blinked twice, seeming surprised, then a smile graced her flawless mouth, "I know just the place."

 ***** Page Break *****

"I am quite taken with your friend's artistic capabilities," the odd woman stated as she watched the Hulk jumping around, throwing boulders, smashing craters into the ground, ripping up trees.

 _Artistic capabilities?_

When Tony had asked for a place for Bruce to Hulk out, he'd expected some deep dark cavern, a massive arena, even an electric cage. He hadn't pictured Frigga delivering them to some sort of hippie mountain resort with a commune leader named Marielle.

"Are we watching the same thing?" Clint asked, "Because I'm watching the Hulk rearrange a whole freaking mountain."

"It needed a new arrangement," Marielle replied airily, waving a hand. The bangles on her wrists jingled as they shifted and caught the light with many tiny sparkles. Tony made a mental note to see if he could procure one for Pepper. Talk about a unique gift. He caught Natasha eyeing the bling as well and made a side note to get one for her as well.

"The mountain needed a new arrangement?" Steve asked slowly. Tony hadn't heard him sound so confused since they'd first met, and Steve had been introduced to current technologies.

"Of course, every few years I order a new arrangement for my students to observe," Mariella replied, offering them all a big smile, "This one will be quite unique, I'm sure."

Tony wanted to know just what kind of commune she was running on some lonely mountain, but before he could, the Hulk stumbled to a stop in one of his own craters and started to shrink. In moments, a naked and exhausted Bruce slumped awkwardly in the deep hole Hulk had punched.

Clothes in hand, Tony hurried forward. Bruce gave him a hesitant smile which Tony returned in full force. Bruce was always unsure after a Hulk episode, as if he was worried his alter ego would scare his teammates away. Now that they were Pride mates, the fear had not lessened.

"Hey, babe," Tony cooed, shuffling down into the hole beside his mate, "Feel better?"

"Calmer," Bruce rasped. The rest of the Pride gathered around and helped Bruce into his clothes and out of the hole.

Once he was on his feet, Bruce studied the area with a mournful eye. His gaze fell on Marielle and he winced, "I should say I'm sorry."

"No need," Clint remarked cheerfully, "She thinks you're a true artist."

Bruce didn't look convinced at all.

Marielle met them halfway back to their floating carriage thing – seriously did everything float on Asgard? – with the biggest smile on her face. Bruce looked hesitant but Marielle had no such qualms. She threw her arms around him with a loud, "Thank you!"

"You're welcome?" Bruce asked.

Mariella let him go and waved her hands around the destroyed mountain face, "This is a whole new terrain for my students to study and explore, this will fire their creative insights for years." She beamed at Bruce, "You are welcome back here anytime."

Bruce nodded, looking utterly confused. Marielle either didn't notice or didn't care. She escorted them to the floating carriage where Frigga still waited, along with a handful of guards, then wished them well and began making her way further up the mountain.

Frigga smirked at their confused expressions. "Marielle is an artist. She runs a school up there and uses this mountain for inspiration. She employs people every other year or so to come in and redesign the landscape. I think you just made her year with your performance."

Bruce blushed and rubbed his head, scattering dirt everywhere. He blushed harder when the dust landed on Frigga's dress.

She waved away his apology and instructed the guards to take them back to the palace.

"Meet the relatives, take two," Clint muttered into Tony's ear. Tony snickered but nodded his agreement. Hopefully this take would go over better than the first.

Back in the golden palace, they all once again traipsed down the massive hallways. Loki still sat beside his father and the two appeared to be in a hushed conversation when Frigga led the Avengers into the room.

Loki looked up and bit his lip, looking every bit like a young child who was meeting strangers and wasn't sure they liked him. Tony could empathise. He just hoped it wasn't an act.

"Father, brother," Thor strode forward and enveloped Loki into a hug. Loki clung tightly to his brother, swallowed up in the blonde's big arms.

"I hope you are hungry," Frigga led them back to their seats as Thor let go of his brother and sat beside him, keeping Loki between himself and Odin. Tony sat beside Frigga and across from Loki, whose gaze seemed fixed on his empty plate.

The first course was served and general chatter filled the room. Tony talked to Frigga about Thor's childhood, trying to get some interesting stories.

"He was always a rambunctious child," Frigga laughed, "Stubborn and full of pride. Ego should have been his name, or his power."

Thor looked pained as his childhood was laid out for all. He took the good-natured ribbing with a put-upon sigh but allowed his mother to continue regaling them with embarrassing stories.

"He once decided he wanted the sun to rise an hour later than it did," Frigga informed them, "So he packed himself a bag of food and set off on a journey to go and talk to the sun."

Tony cackled with laughter, "Oh, my God, how far did he get?"

"He barely got past the garden wall before he decided he was hungry and stopped to eat. The guards found him and brought him back, much to his very vocal protests," Frigga informed them, winking at Thor's growl.

Loki had started relaxing as everyone laughed more. He straightened in his chair and looked around at everyone with clear merriment. Tony still wasn't sure if he could take the kid at face value, but forgiveness had to start somewhere. And it sounded like Loki might have been more messed up in the head than any of them.

The only one not laughing so much was Clint. He was as far from Loki as he could be and smiled occasionally, but Tony had caught him frowning down at his food more than not, pushing it around his plate instead of eating it.

Tony didn't draw attention to it but resolved that he would bring it up later.

"Where was I?" Loki asked, "Was I with Thor?"

"No, my little trickster," Frigga cooed fondly, "You were distracting the nanny with your illusions, making her think Thor was there and learning alongside you."

Loki seemed pleased, "I was a good brother back then."

"You still are," Thor responded, ruffling his brother's hair. Loki squawked in protest and frowned darkly at Thor for messing with the dark locks.

Bruce chuckled, "Reminds me of you, Tony."

Tony poked his tongue out at the scientist, "Don't you get any ideas. My hair is sacred, and you will not touch it."

"Really?" Steve raised a brow with a clear look on his face that said he knew one instance where Tony didn't mind people touching his hair or pulling it.

Tony blushed and glared at the soldier, willing him to be quiet. Steve winked and sipped some Asgardian wine. It was strong stuff. Tony had sipped a little and decided that was enough. He could easily fall over drunk on that brew and he didn't want to be that out of it.

After the meal was finished – all seven courses of exquisite dining – Loki excused himself and left the room.

Tony was suddenly aware that without a child in the room, conversation would likely go to much less pleasant topics.

Odin met his eye and held it, Tony felt like a rabbit caught in headlights. The Allfather stood and a hush fell over the conversing Avengers. "I would like to speak to my son and Anthony Stark in private." He nodded to his wife then swept out of the room without a backward glance. While he had phrased it as a request, it was clearly an order.

Tony swallowed and met Thor's eye. The prince nodded and stood, looking to the others, "We will see you back at our rooms." He nodded to his mother then held a hand out to Tony. Tony trotted around the table and took it.

They strode, hand in hand, through the door Odin had just exited.

"Time to face the music, huh?" Tony tried to joke but it fell flat with nerves.

Thor nodded gravely, "Aye, beloved. Time to face the music."

 ***** Page Break *****

The first room had been warm and comforting compared to the new room Thor led them to. The windows were covered with thick, red drapes, the light from the candles upon the desk and side tables seemed ominous, and to complete the picture, the pelt of some large predator lay stretched out upon the floor.

Tony never really liked the whole skinned animals acting as carpet thing, but he tried to mask his discomfort by keeping his eyes fixed on the other man in the room. Odin sat behind a large desk, seeming to loom. He was not an overly large man. Tony had expected a hulking mountain of muscle like Thor, however Odin, while tall enough and broad in the shoulders like his son, seemed to be more imposing just by his mere presence.

Now _that_ was power.

"Sit." It was not a request. Odin had not looked up since they entered, instead he was writing something – was that a quill? – onto a role of parchment.

Thor led Tony to a trio of chairs arranged in front of the fire. They were arranged so two of them faced the other. Thor took the one closest to the roaring fire and urged Tony into the one beside him, still holding tightly onto his hand.

Tony swallowed nervously. Odin's desk was behind them and Tony knew enough about power plays to recognise one.

They listened as Odin scratched away behind them for what seemed like an hour. The waiting was excruciating. Tony arched a brow at Thor who shrugged minutely. Tony recognised that look in his lover's eyes, Thor was nervous, but determined to appear strong and confident.

Finally, the sound of Odin standing reached his ears. Suddenly, he wished the man would go back to writing. Anything to put off this encounter.

A rustle of paper sounded by Tony's head and a piece of parchment was thrust into his hands. He grasped the scroll and wondered if he was meant to read it. He looked to Thor and the prince nodded so Tony tentatively unrolled the paper. It would probably be incredibly insulting if he tore some royal decree in his haste to read it.

He heard Odin take a seat, but he was too engrossed in the words on the page.

 _I, Anthony Edward Stark, of the Realm known as Midgard, colloquially known as Earth, do hereby relinquish my rights to the firstborn child of Prince Thor of the Realm known as Asgard, and do hereby accept in exchange, a monetary amount to be agreed upon at a later date. In signing this document I also agree to never contact either Prince Thor or the child._

 _Furthermore, I agree to allow into my home, certain security measures to attain me common comfort and safety in the event of unfriendly forces not of the Realm of Earth or Asgard. In signing this treaty, I forge an alliance between the House of Stark and the Royal House of the Allfather, in sound mind and body._

There was even a place already laid out for Tony to place his signature. Odin had already signed his and there was a place for Thor and the Queen to sign their monikers as well.

Tony would never say it out loud, but he was…disappointed seemed like too weak a word. He had known it was likely that Odin would demand some sort of separation. His first thought had been he would force Thor to remain on Asgard and have no contact with him or Storm. But that hadn't worked out well the first time so apparently Odin was trying a new tactic.

Without looking up, he passed the document to Thor. He kept his eyes on his hands, clenched so tight they were white and almost drawing blood.

Thor hissed in an angry breath and Tony reached over, grabbing the paper from his mate. He read it once more to firm his resolve, then he stood and in the first act of possibly stupid defiance he'd had in months, he threw the pretty paper into the fire and watched it burn.

He heard nothing from the Asgardians behind him and part of him was scared to turn around. But a bigger part of him was pissed.

"You know, Thor is the only one of us who still has both of his parents," Tony said without looking away from the flames still destroying the paper. "Clint's aren't worth mentioning, Bruce's were never in the picture to begin with, Natasha was possibly grown in a test tube and Steve's mother passed away a long time ago. T'Challa only has his mother left. Mine were murdered but even before that they weren't there much, especially my father. You know, you remind me of him."

He turned and glared at Odin with all the hate and hurt he hadn't been able to express to his own father in person. "I would have expected something like this from him. He would have demanded the union be terminated so that he could achieve a better political one. I don't know if you're thinking the same thing and I don't really care."

He took a deep breath and watched Odin for any sign of wavering. The Allfather met his gaze evenly, no remorse or apology. "I suppose it was too much to hope for, that one of us could have kept their parents. That my children could know a grandmother and a grandfather that loved them."

He tore his gaze from the old man and met Thor's weary face. Thor's eyes were bright and wet. Tony held out a hand and Thor didn't hesitate to stand and grasp it. Without looking at Odin, Tony said, "We won't be back."

They made it halfway to the door before Odin spoke. "You'll only get so far without my saying so."

"Then say so," Tony shot back.

Odin made an amused noise and stood from his chair. Tony was stunned to see a glimmer of humour in his one blue eye. "You remind me very much of my wife. She never lets me get away with anything either. She's a strong and passionate Sub, as are you."

Tony wrinkled his nose, "Is that some weird hint that Thor basically married his mother?"

Odin actually chuckled, and Tony felt like he was going to get whiplash from the riot of emotions he was feeling.

 _So, is Odin a good guy or a bad guy?_

"Forgive me, for testing you. I'm sure you understand better than most, how many people would love to hold a claim on someone in power. My people have been after my sons since their birth. Thankfully I have been an observant king if not an observant father, and they have not succeeded. I never anticipated Thor finding his mate on Midgard. It was the one thing I could not protect him from." Odin stood calmly, relaxed, his face almost smiling.

"So, you were just testing me with that offensive paper?" Tony asked. He was surprised only that it had been a test. He had expected it to be a real edict, like Howard would have approved.

Odin inclined his head regally, "I had to test your resolve. Not many would reject an order from a king, let alone an alien one who holds your very lives in his hands."

The reminder of how vulnerable they were almost had Tony regretting his brash actions in burning the parchment. Almost.

"Now, I do believe there's been quite enough excitement for one day," Odin gestured to the door, "I suggest you retire to your rooms to rest. There is a feast this evening in your honour and many will be there to meet you. Our staff will watch over your offspring if you don't wish to bring them with you. No harm will come to them under my roof, this I swear as the Allfather."

Thor trembled beside him and Tony felt like something profound had happened.

"Father…thank you," Thor stepped forward hesitantly.

There was no hesitation on the older man's behalf. He opened his arms and warmly welcome his son into a strong embrace. Tony heard bones creak and wasn't sure who they belong to. As tempting as it might be, he wasn't up for a bone-breaking hug from an Asgardian.

"I am glad to see you, my son," Odin murmured, and Tony thought he saw a glimmer in the old blue eye before the Allfather straightened and returned to his desk, effectively dismissing them.

Thor once more led the way. He took Tony's hand and left the office behind as they traipsed through the palace.

"What just happened?" Tony blurted out.

Thor grinned, "My father has given us his blessing to be bound as Mates, my love."

"Just like that?"

"More or less."

"But…I thought he wanted you here."

Thor sighed. "There will have to be some negotiations for the future. My father will not be king forever and Loki will likely be too young to rule. For now, we can celebrate."

Tony gave a helpless laugh, happy beyond measure. But inside, he still felt a niggle of worry. Some base instinct was telling him there was something coming. It was that same feeling he had when Maximoff appeared in their lives. And that certainly hadn't ended well.

 ***** Page Break *****

Tony had heard about Asgardian parties. He'd also heard about Thor's behaviour when he'd been banished to Earth a few years back. Rambunctious and boisterous might be polite terms. Yet somehow, Tony was still surprised.

The feast to celebrate Thor's mating started off very dignified.

Several large tables, laden with food and drink were arranged in the middle of a large room. Dances took place between fire pits and music echoed from the large dais in the corner.

Odin and his family, plus the Avengers, took up a small part of one table set aside from the rest. He stood and praised Tony's arrival on Asgard, the birth of Storm, and the successful future mating of the Avengers Pride.

"We wish them all a happy and fruitful future," Odin ended his speech with a big grin then waved his arms like a showman, "Now, we feast!"

Suddenly the respectable atmosphere dissolved into loud laughter, crude jokes and the eager consumption of food and drink.

"This stuff is great," Clint exclaimed, helping himself to a second – or possibly third – serving of some kind of meat and potatoes dish.

"I like the alcohol," Natasha reported, "Not as much as Vodka but it's passable." She tossed back another shot then twisted around to the couples descending to the dance floor. "I'm going to dance. Who wants to join me?"

"I will," T'Challa stood gracefully and led her to the gyrating couples on the dance floor.

Tony licked his lips. "What is this drink?"

"Mead," Thor replied "A very strong alcoholic beverage."

Tony finished off his first goblet – because a place made up of royalty and actual knights in shining armour used goblets – and regretfully didn't fill it up. He wanted to have fun, he didn't want to follow that old road down temptation lane.

"So, this is the Midgardian," a cool voice remarked and Tony looked up to see a dark haired woman dressed in finery and armour standing over him. She regarded him with dark eyes and no smile.

"Lady Sif, my friend," Thor thumped her on the back and Tony gave her credit for not flinching, "These are my Pride mates."

"I see that," she looked them over, "Quite an interesting assortment of Pack members you have, Thor."

"Aye, my loves are varied and beautiful," Thor boasted.

Sif's lips quirked a little, "That they are." Suddenly the appraisal looked predatory.

"Not interested," Clint growled, tugging Tony into his side with a possessive glare at the tall beautiful woman. Steve shuffled closer on Tony's other side.

Sif cracked a smile and it lit up her face with true majesty, "I understand. I'll leave you to enjoy your celebration." With a swirl of her cloak, she vanished into the crowd.

"A former flame?" Tony snarked at Thor.

Thor looked surprised, "Nay, Sif has always been a good friend. She views me as a brother. She has always struggled to retain her warrior status because she is a female Sub. Like Midgard, Asgard has its own stereotypes for its people and Sif has never fit into her mould."

"I can sympathise," Tony silently toasted the woman who had just left. He knew how hard it was to be judged by something you couldn't control. To want to be something more than what society dictated.

"Can we dance now?" Clint wined, "I can see Natasha making out with T'Challa and it's making me hot."

Tony laughed at his incorrigible lover and allowed himself to be pulled out onto the dance floor."

 ***** Page Break *****

"Is everything around here gold?" Clint demanded as he swung between tree branches, "These apples are actually gold! Are they solid gold or did someone paint them like in _Alice in Wonderland_ with the roses?"

The morning after the feast, they were all taking a leisurely stroll through the gardens. Frigga accompanied them, and Tony caught sight of a maid or two following discreetly. The guards stationed around every corner were far less inconspicuous, but they seemed to ignore the loud group, so Tony could pretend they weren't there.

"They are the apples of Idunn," Frigga explained. At least she sounded more amused than impatient with all the questions being thrown at her.

"Isn't she the Goddess of Youth?" Bruce asked, "Or did our mythologies get that wrong?"

"Idunn is the Goddess of Youth yes," Frigga explained, "These apples are her gift to us. Once, when we were a young people, like those on Midgard, Idunn resided here. She would pick an apple and hand it to one person. That person would eat the apple and receive the gift of good health and long life."

"Is that why you look like you could be Thor's sister instead of his mother?" Tony asked before he could stop himself. Natasha hissed at him, shooting a subtle death glare over the head of their twins.

Instead of being offended Frigga threw her head back and laughed. "Aye, it is true that I have been gifted the apples more than once. Idunn works in mysterious ways," she smiled at Tony, "I like your spark. Never lose that."

Tony blushed at being complimented by a queen.

"Have you ever met Idunn?" T'Challa asked. "My people worship the Goddess Bastet and my mother has claimed that she received visions from our deity."

"I have never met her personally, she is far too occupied with the universe now that it has grown," Frigga tilted her head to the side and regarded T'Challa, "I too have received visions from Idunn. She foretold your arrival here and I believe she was eager to meet you, which is why I brought you here. This is akin to her temple, one of her Holy places on Asgard. Many people come to the apple trees to pray."

T'Challa and Frigga started discussing the facets of their different deities and Tony wandered off to see if the apples really were as golden as Clint claimed.

The pups were sprawled out on the lush lawn, playing with toys under the watchful eye of their sires. Tony parked himself in the shade of the apple tree to get a good look at the supposedly golden apples. Clint hung upside from one of the branches and grinned at Tony.

"Hey," Clint cooed, "You wanna hang out with me?"

Tony groaned, "That has got to be the lamest…was that even a pun? Either way it's the lamest one I've ever heard."

"Well, prepare to hear so many more because you're stuck with me now," Clint retorted, still grinning, "I'm never letting you go."

"I feel like a toy," Tony remarked dryly. "Now, where are these apples?"

Before Clint could point one out, something landed with a solid _thunk_ on Tony's head.

"Ow!" he muttered, rubbing his abused scalp. He looked around for the toy that had gotten away from someone and found only an innocent looking apple rolling to a stop by his feet.

"Huh, it really is golden," Tony muttered and crouched to get a closer look. An ordinary size, looking like any other apple in shape, only the colour was a deep solid gold. He looked up at Clint, "Did you chuck this at me?"

Clint showed his empty hands and gave an innocent look, "Would I do that?"

"Yes."

"Well, I didn't. I figured defacing a sacred tree would probably earn me eternal damnation or something."

Tony regarded the apple warily. "Do you think I'll get in trouble for this?"

"How could you? It fell on your head. If we were on Earth, we could sue them."

Tony nudged the apple with his foot and found an object that didn't seem to weigh any more than a regular apple. "Certainly not solid gold."

He picked it up and straightened, bringing it closer to his face. As soon as he touched it he was struck with the sudden urge to eat it. His stomach rumbled with hunger and his mouth filled with eager saliva. He brought it up and sniffed it. It smelt sweet, but not apple sweet, more like a rose. How odd.

"Very interesting." The voice came from behind him and he almost dropped the apple when he startled. He turned and came face to face with Frigga. The queen smiled at him and nodded to the apple.

Tony's eyes widened, and he rushed to explain, "I didn't take it! It fell on my head, I swear." He looked from the apple to Frigga, "Is this Idunn's way of saying get lost?"

"No, quite the contrary, this is her way of welcoming you," Frigga nodded to the apple again, "The apples cannot be picked, they can only be given. Once Idunn handed them out herself, now she allows the tree to drop fruit to a visitor she deems worthy."

Tony gaped at the queen then stared at the apple. "What do I do with it?"

"Eat it, of course."

Tony gulped. "Are you sure?"

Frigga smiled reassuringly, "I am sure."

Slowly, Tony brought he apple to his mouth. The skin was smooth and almost warm. He gently bit into it and the flesh gave way with a crisp crunch. Juice exploded in his mouth and before he knew it he was devouring the apple like it was the first meal he'd had in weeks. He lost himself to the taste and texture of the golden apple.

 _And I thought coffee was the only nirvana_.

When he came back to himself he was licking the juice off his fingers and holding only a small stem. Had he eaten the seeds? Was he meant to eat the stem too?

"Place the stem at the base of the tree," Frigga encouraged and Tony did as she said without hesitation. He buried the stem gently around the roots and stood.

Around him, his mates were staring at him,

"What?" he touched his face, "Did I make a mess?"

"Tony," Steve spoke cautiously, "You're glowing."

Tony looked down at his hands and saw his skin was emitting a soft golden glow. He squeaked and shook his hands, like that would make it go away. Had the apple made him stupid?

"The glow will fade as the apple works its magic," Frigga explained, "Idunn's apple is granting you long life and good health."

"So, I will no longer outlive him?" Thor asked, sounding stunned and eager.

"No, you will both have a similar lifespan, as is the way of a union blessed by Idunn."

Thor swooped in and brought Tony into a bone-crushing hug. Tony laughed and held on just as tight.

Then a thought occurred to him and he looked at his other mates. "What about you guys?"

"Don't worry Tony," Steve smiled, "We'll- ow!"

An apple had landed squarely on top of Captain America's head.

Tony snorted a startled laugh. "I think the Goddess has spoken."

One by one, the rest of the Pride received an apple. Clint and Natasha caught theirs, Bruce's rolled gently to his feet and T'Challa's bopped him on the nose when he looked up into the branches.

T'Challa laughed as he rubbed his abused nose. "I believe that may have been a pointed reprimand for not praying to Bastet as I should."

"Now you hear the voices of Goddess?" Clint asked. He grinned and showed off his glowing teeth.

T'Challa shrugged, "The deities work in mysterious ways."

 ***** Page Break *****

"Are we immortal now?" Tony asked later that night as they were snuggling into the lavish furs atop the gigantic bed. The pups were asleep in the next room and Tony was very content lazing amidst his Alphas. The pleased pheromones being pumped into the air indicated they were just as happy with the arrangement.

"Not strictly immortal, so much as long-lived," Thor explained, "Idunn has granted us an extended period of time to live and love each other."

"We'll be young and pretty while everyone else around us grows old," Natasha commented in a neutral voice, staring up at the ceiling.

Tony's blood ran cold as he imagined it. He already looked younger than he had when he arrived, mid thirties instead of late forties. His other mates had also achieved a new state of youth. Except for Steve – who was already the personification of youthful perfection anyway – and Thor who was a very young looking one-hundred plus.

He pictured standing next to Pepper and Rhodey in ten years, twenty. He envisioned remaining young and healthy while Rhodey's hair became grey and then white, or perhaps fell out. He pictured wrinkles marring Pepper's beautiful face when she smiled.

He imagined Pepper's child growing up, growing older and dying before Tony. Pepper and Rhodey and Happy and Cassandra, all dying before Tony even looked old. He swallowed the bile in his throat and tried to shake away the image of welcoming Pepper's great grandchildren into the world, of watching them grow. Maybe seeing Pepper in the way they talked or smiled or looked.

He whined, a thick uneasy noise and he was at once surrounded by his mates trying to comfort him. He turned to Thor, "What about Pepper and Rhodey? Can't we give them apples too?"

Thor looked sad as he reached over and stroked a hand down Tony's face. "I'm sorry, love, Idunn works in mysterious ways. Certainly, we can bring them here and they can visit the tree, but there is no guarantee that an apple will fall."

Tony whimpered and hid his face in the closest chest available. Judging by the gunpowder scent he assumed it was Clint. He was proven correct when he felt calloused fingers rubbing his back.

"And where would it end?" Natasha, ever the practical one, pointed out. "If we got Pepper and Rhodey their own apples, what about their mates, their families, their friends, children. Do we offer apples to them all? And then what if only some are gifted and not others?"

"Don't logic me," Tony hissed without any real heat.

Natasha murmured an apology and kissed his cheek. He squeezed her hand in his own silent apology. She squeezed back in acceptance.

"What about our pups?" Bruce asked.

"If they were still breastfeeding, they would gain the gift through the nutrients of their mother," Thor explained, "However as that is no longer the case, we will have to wait until they are older for them to visit the tree."

"How much older?"

Thor hummed, "Perhaps five of your Earth years. That is around the age when most people not of Asgard request an audience with Idunn's tree. I shall consult my mother on the matter in the morning."

"Has it really only been two days since we got here?" Tony asked.

"Aye."

"Huh."

Tony had prepared for battle when he travelled to Asgard. He was expecting a week or two of stress and confrontations. Perhaps some time spent in whatever passed for an Asgardian prison. But their stay had been overall pleasant, and Tony was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"I noticed you and Odin had a little private chat tonight," Tony murmured, "Was that about your role here?"

"Yes, it was," Thor replied slowly, "My father is working with his council of advisors and lords to draw up contracts regarding my claim to the throne and the line of succession."

Everyone remained quiet, waiting for Thor to continue.

"People on Asgard visit Idunn's tree every five thousand years or so, in order to receive another apple. When the tree does not give an apple, it is understood that their lifetime is coming to an end. My father visited the tree in previous months and Idunn was silent. He did not receive an apple," Thor took a deep breath. "That is why he was so insistent on me staying here. He knows his time draws near and he must have an heir if Asgard is to continue."

"What about Frigga?" Steve asked.

"She received an apple. She has many more years left until she will require another. It is understood that my father will pass into the halls of Valhalla, while my mother remains here one more lifecycle. She will train Loki in all the ways he needs to be a great king. When he comes of age he will become the Allfather and assume the mantel of ruler. I will be the secondary heir, stepping forward should something happen to him, unless Loki has sired or birthed a child before his passing."

Tony scrunched his nose. He wasn't sure what to make of the de-aged prince. He'd met the boy a few times and saw a bit of his own younger self in the child. It was hard to reconcile the innocent trickster with the malevolent beast that had raged his way across Earth.

"Are you sure this is not one of his tricks?" Clint asked. He sounded edgy and bitter. "He's really good at illusions."

Tony kissed the archer's chest and slid his arm across the well muscles torso. Clint's arms flexed on his back and held him tighter.

"It is not a trick," Thor assured them, "I understand your reservations, but Loki has been seen to by multiple healers of the mind. He was physically de-aged because the damage done to his mind made him much younger emotionally than physically. It was deemed an easier course of treatment to make his inner self reflect his outer self."

"Who damaged him?" Clint asked, a little testy but at least not overwhelmingly bitter.

"A being named Thanos, the Mad Titan," Thor's voice had hardened. Suddenly it was the being that had endured decades longer than the rest of them, that was speaking. All the harshness of experience in his tone.

"Where's he? Do we have to worry about him coming back?"

"No. He was destroyed when Tony flew that missile through the portal. Hence why the Chitauri fell and why my brother surrendered when we confronted him."

Tony made a face, "Am I going to get in trouble for that? No one's gonna come seeking revenge or something, are they?"

"No, my love," Thor kissed his head, "And should they try, they will face my wrath."

 _How can he sound so sweet and so bloodthirsty at the same time?_

Tony groaned, "You gotta stop talking like that."

"Why?" Thor's voice was a purr that made Tony shiver. Large hands snaked over Tony's hips and around to his belly, lower. "Ah, I see."

They didn't sleep much their second night on Asgard.

The next week was spent exploring the glory of Asgard while Frigga and Odin doted on the pups. The little rascals lapped up the attention and no one was truly happy to be going back.

"We'll have to come visit again," Tony promised Frigga, "Or maybe you can come to us, we'll show you all the great places on Midgard."

"Hmm, I admit I have not visited the realm for many years," Frigga considered, "Perhaps I will be able to drag my husband and son along for a, what do you call it, a holiday?"

"That's the one," Tony giggled, "A holiday."

Loki waved them goodbye between his parents. Tony watched for any signs of subterfuge but found none. Would he even know if he saw something? He didn't have that bad feeling around the boy that he had experience around Maximoff, so maybe it was okay?

Uneasy with his train of thought, Tony focused back on the present as Heimdall activated the Bifrost and sent them all home.

Not for the first time, Tony was glad he didn't have neighbours. They landed in the yard with a bright light and loud thud. Not to mention the pups shrieking.

"Let's get them settled then let the others know we're back," Steve suggested, taking the lead.

"I wonder how much time has passed," Bruce mused as they entered the house.

The fussing pups were settled into their playpen with toys while their parents set about notifying others they were back.

"Hey, we've been gone about a month," Clint called as he checked his phone, "Does that mean we aged a month but only lived a week?"

"That is not how it works, my friend," Thor set about trying to explain dimensional travel to Clint.

Natasha checked in with their handlers at SHIELD. Even though she and Clint were official Avengers, they still worked for the agency on occasion. Steve did a ring around to some of his spy buddies. Bruce set about preparing lunch. T'Challa contacted his family to catch up on things in Wakanda. Yet another place for them to visit in the future.

"Hey, J, what's been happening while I was gone?" Tony asked his AI.

 _'_ _Sir, Miss Potts asked you to contact her when you arrived home.'_

"Sure thing, J," Tony made his way to his phone. He listened to it ring and then engage with a click, "Hey, Pep, did you miss me?"

"Tony…"

That one word sent a shiver down his pine and suddenly he remembered that feeling he'd had about something awful coming his way. The feeling was back full force and, in a dazed moment of agony, he wondered what he would lose this time.


	3. The Gambling Man

**The Gambling Man**

 _Stark stole my baby!_

 _Tony Stark under investigation for child trafficking_

 _The True story behind the Stark children_

 _Are Tony Stark's pups even his? The Real Mother Breaks Her Silence_

"While you were gone we received this," Pepper handed over a legal document. She looked grim. Professional as always, but there was a tightness around her mouth while her eyes looked like they'd been squinting at papers for too long.

"What is it?" Tony reluctantly open the folder to peer at the document. The title caught his attention straight away.

Custody Arraignment Hearing.

"What the fuck is this?" Tony snarled. He wished once more that he hadn't let his Alphas stay home. He'd flown to New York once he'd come across the headlines Pepper was trying to valiantly keep quiet. The effort was futile it seemed because every news rag or gossip channel had their own version of events concerning the sordid scandal of a woman threatened into abandoning her child.

"This woman, Miss Sophia Reynolds, is claiming that she gave birth to a baby boy she's calling Sam. This child was forcibly taken from her and she's claiming you not only have him, but you were the one to orchestrate the kidnapping," Pepper replied.

Tony swore softly, rubbing his hands across his face with too much force. He tugged on his hair and the pain grounded him, kept him from storming out of the office.

"Which pup is she saying is hers?" Tony mumbled, keeping his eyes squeezed shut.

"Aaron."

Tony swore again. "Captain America's kid. Of course, she would lay claim to him."

"Could she be the surrogate?"

"I don't know," Tony admitted, "Ross never told me about the surrogates. I understood they were compensated for their time and kept in the dark about whose pups they were carrying."

"Well, she either found out somehow, or she's taking a stab in the dark, hoping for a payout."

"Are we sure she's not legitimately seeking to have a relationship with a pup she birthed?" Tony asked. He didn't want to think of his baby boy being born from a soulless monster. "She's not just speaking out to try and get some contact with him?"

Pepper snorted, "When you meet her, you'll understand how ridiculous that notion sounds. She's ice cold. Not a maternal bone in her body. She wants money, publicity, something. She doesn't want Aaron."

Tony sighed, disappointed but also relieved. He wouldn't have to share his baby.

"So, she's a gold digger looking for a new vein to tap now that her sugar daddy is in prison awaiting his sentencing," Tony stated, low and detached. "Let's make her hurt."

Pepper's grin was predatory. "I like the way you think." She stood, "The first hearing is tomorrow morning. You need to be fresh and ready. We'll take you to the tower for the night and Happy will pick you up in the morning. Call your mates, I'm sure they're worried."

Tony acknowledged that with a grimace. They hadn't wanted him to come alone but something told Tony the pups needed more protection than he did. He would be staying at the Tower, a fortress of security. He would have JARVIS and Rhodey around. He would be fine, if more than a little lonely.

"How's Cassandra, by the way?" Tony asked curiously as they climbed into the car.

"Heavy," Pepper noted, sounding proud. "She's carrying twins. In all likelihood, one is biologically mine and the other Happy's. We'll love them both the same."

They chatted about careful topics as they reached the Tower. Tony looked up at the building and realised he hadn't returned since he'd fled from Maximoff. He wondered how it looked on the inside.

"I had it professionally cleaned when you all moved to Malibu," Pepper chimed in, as if reading his thoughts. "All of her belongings were either destroyed or donated once Dr Strange deemed them 'untainted'. I know you all have some things still here but maybe you can distract yourself by going through them to take back home."

Tony made a non-committal noise. "Should I sell the Tower?"

Pepper hesitated. "I would say yes, but it's more than just a place you live. It's the recognised headquarters for the Avengers. Keep it for now."

Tony hadn't been on a mission in almost a year. Not since before the pups were born. He knew the others had been on a few since then. The last one being the fiasco with Maximoff. Would he ever return to hero work?

In their absence, many younger superheroes had risen to the task of taking on the local baddies. Would it be so bad to retire?

Shaking his head, he left the limo after saying goodbye to Pepper. He hurried inside and headed up to the familiar communal floor. He was expecting it to be cold. Dark. Unlived in.

Instead, it was warm and smelt fantastic. Tony's mouth watered at the aromas coming from the kitchen.

"Hey, Tony, come on in dinner's almost ready," Rhodey called. JARVIS must have alerted him.

Tony bounded in and flung his arms around his best friend, "Rhodey!"

Rhodey grunted and wriggled half-heartedly. "Yes, it's me, and you're a limpet."

"Am not."

"Leech?"

"Eww."

"Octopus?"

"Now you're just being mean."

Rhodey laughed and finally managed to turn around in Tony's tight hold. He hugged Tony back, much to their joint delight. After a long bro hug, Rhodey set Tony away from him and looked him up and down, inspecting him, Tony was sure, for any wounds or other anomalies that might have been caused by Asgard. After all, Thor came back looking like something the cat brought in the last few times he'd gone visiting.

The smile on Rhodey's face morphed into a frown and Tony looked down at himself, trying to figure out what his best friend was seeing. Pepper had given him an odd look too when they met at the airport, but she hadn't said anything. All Tony could see as he looked down was one of his nice suits, his armour for public occasions. He'd dressed up for his return to New York. Was there something on the tie?

"What?" he asked, trying to spot the cause of the weird looks Pepper and Rhodey were shooting each other.

Finally, Rhodey turned back to him and said, in a slow voice, "Tony, why do you look like you're thirty again?"

Tony gaped because…he'd honestly forgotten about that. With everything else going on with this Reynolds woman poking her nose into their business, it had slipped his mind about how he was going to tell his friends he was now basically an immortal godling…person.

"Um…" Tony started then stopped. He opened his mouth again then closed it. Why was this so hard?

"What happened in Asgard?" Pepper asked, all steel and promises of Hell-fire if Tony didn't give a satisfactory answer.

Tony winced, "I…might have eaten a special apple that makes me look young and pretty and gives me a lot longer to do so."

Pepper and Rhodey gaped at him so Tony gave an uneasy smile and explained about Frigga taking them to the garden, the apples they each received and how, once the glowing had stopped, they'd all looked younger. Except for Steve, of course who would have regressed to his teenage years if he'd looked any younger.

"Wow," Rhodey drawled, "Even on another planet, you're noticed by the Gods."

Tony snickered, "I'm pretty and smart. That's a heady combination."

"Just don't let it go to your head."

"Too late."

Pepper interrupted before they could really squabble, "How are you going to hide it?"

Tony shrugged, "Thor says most people wont notice because we wear the Goddess' glamour. Eventually, people will notice we've been alive a lot longer than we should have but we've got time to sort that out."

"How come we can see through it?"

"Because you're special to me," Tony replied simply, he bit his lips at the softening on their faces, "Don't get all mushy."

Rhodey chuckled and messed up Tony's hair, ignoring the squawk of outrage it elicited. "Never."

"Um…should I go?"

The uncertain male voice made Tony jump. There wasn't supposed to be anyone here but Rhodey. He turned and spotted Sam Wilson standing by the kitchen table, fidgeting and looking longingly towards the door.

"Sorry I didn't warn you, his apartment lease ran out and he moved in with me. While I'm here, I was hoping he could stay as well?" Rhodey sounded unsure, almost tentative. Which was something Rhodey should never be with Tony.

Tony blew a raspberry. "Of course, he can stay. I haven't given him the shovel talk yet." He turned to Sam with what he hoped was a passable grin. "Sit. Eat with us."

Sam gave a lopsided smile and sat down, looking tense. Tony wandered over and took a seat near the other Omega, but not next to him.

"So, how'd you meet my brother?" Tony asked. He would admit to letting a little of his Italian accent through, but only a little.

Sam went on to tell Tony how he'd met Rhodey through a military project that was classified – at least until JARVIS got into it – they'd hit it off right away but kept their relationship all hush-hush until Sam was no longer working in Rhodey's direct command.

"So, you've been dating for about a year now," Tony surmised.

"Yeah, eleven months plus a few days."

Ton glared at his best friend who was pointedly ignoring them in favour of stirring something in a giant pot. "When you found out I'd been seeing Steve, Thor, Bruce, Natasha and Clint for a few _weeks_ without telling you, I distinctly recall a lot of yelling about being an inconsiderate friend." He paused then, "What does that say about you who hid your relationship for _a year_?"

"That I am much better at keeping secrets and your mates are doing their job of keeping you busy," Rhodey retorted.

Tony growled, "You're so unfair."

"That's me."

"You're a meanie and a hypocrite."

"Yes, I am."

Tony pouted. "You take all the fun out of arguing with you."

Rhodey finally looked up with a big grin. "I know."

Tony turned back to Sam. "Be careful with this one. He's sneaky."

Sam looked amused but agreed to watch out for Rhodey's tricks. Well, one could only warn someone, couldn't make them do it.

Tony sighed then grew serious and leant forward, keeping his voice low. Sam leant forward as well, mirth vanishing from his face.

"Rhodey's my best friend, my brother. I love him, and I've loved him since we were kids. If I ever hear that you've hurt him. That you did him wrong. If I ever hear you made him cry, I'll rain Hellfire down on you like you're never seen in combat. You'll never see it coming," Tony delivered his message and leant back, pleased to see the surprised look on the other man's face.

 _Ha, I still got it._

"All right, no more threats at the table," Rhodey scolded, "Foods up."

Tony hurried through his meal then excused himself to go and talk to his mates. He settled into his old room, trying to ignore how cold and empty the large bed seemed. He video called his mates and waited for them to pick up.

"Tony!" Clint's face appeared first, beaming and sweaty. "Hey, baby, how you doing?"

"I'm fine, honey, how about you? You look like you were caught doing something naughty."

Clint laughed, "Nah, just trying to catch up to the twins. Maria and Ryan are still inseparable but when they team up with Alexis and Vanessa, it's like they all plot to destroy our last nerves. I just spend the past hour trying to find them. They like to play hide and seek."

"Oh, that reminds me, make sure you look up baby proofing. Now that the pups are mobile they'll get into everything. We need to make sure they can't get into cabinets or down the stairs. Or up the stairs for that matter. Or outside. We have a lot of doors don't we."

"We sure do. Hey, how's New York, did you straighten the mess out yet?" Clint sounded so hopeful Tony hated to burst the archer's bubble.

He sighed, "Not yet. I'd rather talk about this only once so can you get the others."

Clint frowned, "Sure."

Tony watched as the screen moved from the kitchen to the den. He could hear a cartoon playing in the background and some of the pups squealing along with it.

"Hey, guys, put the pups in the playpen and get over here for a minute." Clint settled on the couch and Tony watched as the others all crowded around him.

"Hey," he murmured, wishing he was home.

"Hey, so what's going on?" Steve asked, concerned.

Tony sighed and gave them a rundown on what was going on. How he would have to stay in New York for a while and sort the mess out. "I mean, it might be all over tomorrow. The judge might decide this woman is full of crap and drop the suit. But I doubt I'm that lucky, so it might be a while before I can come home. I'll talk to you tomorrow and let you know how it goes."

Steve looked pale. "She wants Aaron."

"I know, but she's not going to get Aaron," Tony tried to reassure his lover.

"But…" Steve seemed lost.

"Bruce, can you get Steve some tea?" Tony suggested. "Natasha can you bring Aaron over?"

Natasha and Bruce both disappeared, returning shortly with their assigned tasks. Steve juggled a sleepy Aaron and cup of tea with a surprising amount of grace.

"And we are certain that this woman has no case?" T'Challa asked, sounding fierce but concerned.

"What possible case could she have?"

"She is definitely not the biological mother?"

"No." Tony knew, had known right from the start that the pups were his. He didn't need a DNA test to prove this, but he understood it would probably come down to that. He sighed and rubbed his head.

"You're tired, we'll talk tomorrow," Bruce waved at the screen "Love you. Sleep well."

"Love you all too."

The screen went dark and Tony was left staring at his reflection for a long moment before he turned away.

 ***** Page Break *****

Tony had never seen a picture of Sophia Reynolds, but he knew the instant he spotted her in the courtroom who she was.

Sophia Reynolds was blonde, wearing her hair straight, reaching part way down her back. She was well endowed and dressed like a beautiful, confident woman. She was the kind of gorgeous specimen Tony would have taken home with him a few years ago, before Afghanistan and his mates.

She shot him a subtle smirk as he sat on the opposite side of the room to her and Tony knew this wasn't going to be easy. The woman had reptilian eyes, which was really an insult to reptiles. The otherwise pretty, blue orbs were cold and predatory. He remembered Pepper's words and agreed that this ice queen didn't have it in her to be a mother.

"All rise for the honourable Judge Lake."

The judge entered, and Tony studied the older woman. African-American, hair starting to turn silver. She had a firm expression on her face and steel in her eyes. The kind of no-nonsense person Tony loved hiring for his company's interests. He'd seen that same spark in Pepper. He hoped this woman wasn't going to be fooled by Miss Reynolds.

"We will hear first from the complainant, Miss Sophia Reynolds," Judge Lake announced.

Reynolds and a thin young man, supposedly her lawyer, approached the witness box. Tony turned his attention to the jury and found a few staring at him. He didn't bother to decipher their expressions. People were fickle, and they would change their minds a dozen times before this case was over.

The woman sitting in the witness box had a perfect mask of a young, innocent woman. She looked no older than twenty and her makeup seemed to add to the effect.

Young. Innocent. _Vulnerable_.

"Can you tell us, in your own words, why we're here today," the lawyer spoke with a gentle voice, as if he was afraid to spook the woman.

Reynolds took a deep breath, complete with a little shaky hitch, and looked at her lawyer. "I volunteered to carry and give birth to a baby. I'd never done it before, but I needed the money to help with my student loans. I was assured before the procedure that after I gave birth, I would be able to stay in contact with Sam, keep up to date with how he was doing. I wanted to be a part of his life, even if only distantly. I was told that the baby would be going to a loving home."

"What happened after you had the baby?"

"After I gave birth to Sam, I was confronted by someone who claimed they worked for Mr Stark. He snatched my baby from the crib while another one strode in and forced me to sign a document surrendering any rights to my son."

"How did he force you?"

"He had a gun. He put his hand on it and told me to sign. I was terrified he was going to kill me."

Hisses and murmurs erupted in the jury stands.

"Did you happen to catch the name of your attackers?"

"No. They never said their names. I described them to the police and sketches were drawn but I don't know if they ever found the men."

The lawyer nodded to his client then looked to the judge, "No more questions."

Judge Lake turned to Tony's own lawyer, Carl Jefferson, and nodded.

Jefferson stood and approached Reynolds with a calm, unaffected air. "So, Miss Reynolds, you claim that you gave birth to one of Mr Stark's pups, is that correct."

"Sam is mine."

"Answer the question please."

Reynolds' lips folded in for a moment, showing her displeasure. "Yes."

"And who exactly did you have an agreement with concerning the creation of said child?"

Reynolds blinked as if she hadn't been expecting the question. "With…Mr Stark."

"Why would he do that? Mr Stark is capable of having his own children."

"I don't know. All I was told was that the mother couldn't carry their own pup. Hence the need for a surrogate."

"Do you know General Thadeus Ross?"

Reynold's jolted and paled. Her lawyer – Tony really needed to get his name – jumped to his feet, "Objection! Relevance?"

"Everyone here knows that the pups my client are raising are his, born from illegally harvested eggs stolen from Mr Stark under the orders of General Ross. Ross is under investigation and awaiting trial for numerous offences, one of which is the theft of biological material with the intent to create genetic experiments." Jefferson waited until Judge Lake allowed the question before turning back to Reynolds. "So, you were working with Ross."

"No! I- I was hired to have a baby."

"By Ross."

"No!" Reynolds dissolved into tears, "I just want my baby back. He's not safe with that man. I was promised he would be safe."

Tony watched as both lawyers tried to calm the hysterical woman. Was this an act? Or was it a play for sympathy? She was scarily convincing.

"Your Honour, I request a short recess until my client has herself under control," the lawyer requested.

"Request granted, court will adjourn for thirty minutes." Judge Lake stood, and everyone rose to bid her goodbye. Tony watched Reynolds and spotted the moment she stopped her crying and smoothed out her face. Like nothing had ever happened.

 _Jeez, what a psycho. And I thought Maximoff was nuts._

 ***** Page Break *****

"It didn't go any better after that," Tony finished recounting his day in court. Reynolds had managed to cry and plead her way into the sympathies of pretty much everyone. Judge Lake was harder to decipher, but Tony would bet the woman had fallen for the display as well.

"Do we need to be there?" Steve asked, face drawn. He looked like he hadn't slept a wink. Tony wasn't surprised.

"No, you stay with the pups," Tony ordered, "They need you there to protect them."

"Protect them from what? It sounds like the attack is happening in New York," Clint remarked. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

Tony hesitated, wondering if he should admit to his apprehensive predictions.

"I know that face," Bruce piped up, "You know something. Spill."

"Fine, but you're gonna think I'm nuts," Tony sighed.

"We already do. Go on." Natasha didn't change her tone at all.

Tony glared half-heartedly before he gave in and tried to explain. "Since we came back…I've had this bad feeling."

"What kind of bad feeling? Did you feel this in Asgard?" Thor demanded, sounding horrified he might have put Tony through stress and strain.

"No. Well, not really." Tony paused, "I suppose it was after we met with Odin. I just had this awful feeling that something bad was going to happen."

"Something bad?" Clint questioned at the same time Natasha said, "Awful feeling?"

Tony swallowed, "The same feeling I had the day you brought Maximoff home."

Silence reigned and Tony looked down at his hands for a long moment before daring to look up.

Guilt. Shame. Anger. It was all there on their faces.

"She's no longer alive so she's not the threat, unless Dr Strange lied to us," Natasha remarked, all business, shaking off the guilt and shame like a dark cloud.

"I'm certain she's dead," Bruce remarked. "Dr Strange didn't set off the Other Guy so I'm willing to trust his word."

"But we did not see a body," T'Challa pointed out.

"Because there wasn't much left of her," Steve sounded unsure but still firm.

"I can show you if you like."

The new voice interrupted their bickering and Tony almost threw his tablet away when someone appeared in his room. He absolutely did not scream…but the noise he made might have come close.

"Tony?"

"What happened?"

"Tony are you okay? Who is there with you?"

"Tony, answer us!"

"I'm fine guys, the good doctor just showed up," Tony called to them, not taking his eyes off the sorcerer who stood nonchalantly by the far wall. His heart was pounding from the fright. "What the hell are you doing here? Haven't you heard of knocking?"

Dr Strange shrugged, "I was in the neighbourhood. Heard you all smearing my good name, thought I'd drop in."

Tony refused to feel guilty about doubting the sorcerer.

"You can see her remains if you wish, what's left is very…messy. It's still in the null prison until I can decontaminate her magic still floating around. Nasty stuff."

Tony blanched at the image, "No, thanks."

"You'll take my word for it?"

"If you can tell me where the threat is coming from now," Tony challenged. He heard his mate's hush each other and go quiet, presumably they were listening intently.

"I am not a monkey doing tricks."

"No, you're a sorcerer performing magic."

Strange scowled. "Magic doesn't work that way. I cannot see the future because it is infinitely fluid. Attempting to view the possibilities has been known to send even great sorcerers mad. Trying to set yourself towards a certain future often leads to the very thing you are trying to avoid. Checks and balances."

Tony grumbled, "And you're the Sorcerer Supreme."

"I am. That does not make me on par with the Cosmos," Strange retorted.

Tony sighed but conceded it as a lost cause. "Fine. Maximoff is dead so this bad feeling is not coming from her."

"A bad feeling?" now Strange sounded curious.

Tony glared, "Yes, a bad feeling."

"Have you had this kind of feeling before?"

"Once. When Maximoff invited herself home with my mates."

The sound of whispers could be heard over the tablet, reminding Tony he was still on a video call with his mates. He picked the device up and met their worried gazes with a brilliant smile. "It's okay, guys."

"Is Strange still there?" Steve demanded.

"I am." The sorcerer drifted closer, perching behind Tony to peer at the tablet. "Hello, again."

"Hi. Do you know anything about this threat coming at us?" Steve asked.

Strange shook his head, "We were just discussing that. I can't see the future. I do know for certain that Maximoff is dead."

"Could it just be this woman trying to lay claim to Aaron?" Clint piped up, "I mean, it could be Tony's mama instincts kicking in to protect his pups from a threat."

"Mama instincts?" Tony echoed, more to himself than anyone else.

"This woman has had months to come forward," Bruce pointed out, "Why now?"

"And who's financing her?" Natasha added, "I've been looking into her since this mess started. Sophia Reynolds is an ambitious trophy wife. She was born into the rich and famous until her daddy lost all the family fortune when she was in her early twenties. Before that she was a typical party girl, no goals save for her next fun experience. She dropped off the radar after her father declared bankruptcy and didn't resurface until about a year ago. Suddenly she's rolling in cash again and living the high life."

"Someone set her up," Bruce remarked.

Natasha nodded, "She's been receiving a monthly instalment of cash, until about six months ago when the payments stopped. My guess is, she was being paid by Ross or possibly one of his cohorts and when he was arrested, the money dried up. Suddenly the princess was without party favours again and she either saw this as a get-rich-quick scheme, or someone pointed her towards it."

"I don't suppose any of this can be brought up in court?" Tony asked hopefully. He deflated when Natasha shook her head. He gave a mournful sigh, "That figures. All the dirt on someone but nowhere to dump it."

 ***** Page Break *****

The second day of trial meant Tony was in the hot seat. He dressed in his finest suit and reluctantly handed over his custom sunglasses to Pepper before taking the witness stand.

The lawyer for Sophia Reynolds – apparently named Gregory Moss – started the first round of questioning.

"When was the first time you met Miss Reynolds?"

"I _saw_ her for the first time just yesterday. Before that we had never met, I'd never heard of her as far as I can recall."

"Miss Reynolds is claiming she was the surrogate for your child, what can you say about that?"

"If she was the illegal surrogate for my child then perhaps it should be her up here, defending herself. I never hired her."

Murmurs amongst the jury had Tony glancing in their direction but he couldn't focus on them. His eyes caught Pepper's and she nodded encouragingly.

"Do you have any proof that the child in question is yours?" the smirk on Moss' face indicated he thought he knew Tony's answer.

Tony quirked his lips in a small smile before replying, "Yes."

Moss, visibly startled by the announcement, paused for a moment. He glanced at Reynolds who looked stony and calm. The jurors murmured again before being silenced by Judge Lake.

"Would you care to elaborate on that statement?"

"What part of 'yes' did you need me to clarify?"

Moss' frown said he didn't like being mocked but Tony couldn't help it. His defensive mode was snark and mockery. Doing otherwise would be like water flowing uphill. Unnatural.

"I was under the impression a DNA test was not conducted to prove the child's parentage."

"It wasn't."

"Then how can you state you know the child is yours? Mother's intuition?" Moss' tone was mocking but if he hoped to gain sympathy by doing so, he was gravely mistaken. All he got from the audience was crickets.

"When Ross presented me with the pups, I had him swear to the Cosmos that they were mine, and that they were the only ones from my stolen eggs." Tony couldn't hold in the shiver at remembering that day. The cold, sterile rooms. The reek of disinfectant. He swallowed to wet his dry throat and wished he had some water.

"Do you need a moment, Mr Stark?" Judge Lake's gentle voice made him jerk. He realised he'd been staring down at his clenched hands and abruptly looked up. He saw Pepper first, watching him with concern, her body tense as if she wanted to approach and comfort him. Moss looked unimpressed, scowling impatiently like he was waiting for an answer to a question.

 _Did he ask me something? How long have I been sitting here?_

"Mr Stark?"

Tony looked to the Judge and found her leaning his way, compassion lining her face. She asked, "Do you need a moment to collect yourself?"

"Um…n-no, I'm fine," he swallowed again and suddenly a glass of water appeared in front of him. He thanked the guard who had handed it to him and tried to stop his hand from shaking. How was it that something that had happened eight months ago was still affecting him?

"Sorry, about that, um," Tony cleared his throat, "Where were we?"

"Mr Moss, repeat your question," Judge Lake was all business once more.

"Mr Stark, how did you word the question that led to Mr Ross vowing to the Cosmos concerning the parentage of the children he had presented to you?"

Tony recalled that day with utmost distaste. He shoved it all down because he needed to stay in the present and not drift off again. "I said, 'Swear to me on the Cosmos that these are my pups. Made from my eggs.'"

"And he swore by this?"

"Yes, he did. Since he could speak the vow, I'm going to assume he was telling the truth."

Moss frowned, "No more questions, your Honour."

Jefferson approached Tony next. "Mr Stark, you have several pups, correct?"

"Yes."

"All created via illegal means?"

"Yes."

"Miss Reynolds is only laying claim on one pup. The little boy she calls, Sam. Are you certain about which of your pups she is referring?"

"Yes. The documentation she presented concerned my son, Aaron, who-"

"His name is Sam!" Reynolds shrieked with all the fury of a slighted mother, she leapt to her feet, pointing a well-manicured nail at Tony, "His name is Sam, you monster!"

"Miss Reynolds, please take your seat," Judge Lake ordered, "You will have your chance to talk again. For now, we will continue to hear Mr Stark's statement."

Reynolds took her seat, fuming and red-faced. Tears spilled from her eyes as Moss tried to comfort her.

Jefferson cleared his throat. "Would you be open to a DNA test, Mr Stark?"

"No."

"Why is that exactly?"

"Because the last time I trusted someone with my body, they stole my eggs," Tony hissed, letting his disgust at the violation permeate his scent. Shuffles and coughs could be heard that signalled his pheromones had disturbed quite a few people. "I will not leave myself open to such violation again. I will not allow my son to be put through anything similar either, not for the sake of a woman who has no business trying to lay claim to my son."

Louder murmurs erupted only to be hushed by the judge.

"Thank you, your Honour, that will be all."

 ***** Page Break *****

"The pups are missing you," was Steve's opening line when Tony video called them that night.

"I miss them too."

"When are you coming home?"

"I don't know, this Reynolds woman is persistent. She screamed in court today and I think it helped me a little. I hope they're all starting to see how unhinged she is." Tony made a face, "She's convinced the pup is called Sam. I don't know if she's acting or if she truly believes some of the stuff she's spouting."

"Any hints about what her actual plans are?"

"Not from this end. I take it you haven't found anything?"

"Not yet. We're still digging." Natasha chimed in.

"In the meantime. Keep yourselves safe. Keep the pups close. I have a feeling this will come to a head soon."

"More premonitions?" Bruce piped up from somewhere out of sight.

"Paranoia with a seasoning of past experience."

"We'll be fine. Watch out for yourself."

"I will. Rhodey and Sam are always around. I'm safe here with J watching me too."

"Wilson is there?" jealousy coming from his Alphas was nothing new but it was somewhat flattering to know he could still incite it by just mentioning another person, not even an Alpha.

"Yep. He's not so bad really. Didn't seem worried when I gave him the shovel talk though. Really disappointing."

"Aw, poor baby. You're not scary any longer." Clint grinned from the corner of the screen.

"I am too."

"The pups laugh when they see your angry face."

"I'm just that adorable, thank you."

"All right, princess, whatever you say."

T'Challa appeared, "Keep us updated."

"Will do."

 ***** Page Break *****

Tony was in court for the fourth day in a row when it happened.

He listened to Reynolds ramble and moan about her rights to 'Sam' while trying not to roll his eyes. Not many people in the room looked very impressed with her either.

A soft beep from his phone alerted Tony that there was a message coming in from JARVIS. He discretely pulled out his phone and looked at the screen, then his blood ran cold.

RESIDENCE UNDER ATTACK. ALARM TRIPPED. MULTIPLE HOSTILES. EMERGENCY SERVICES NOTIFIED. POWER DISABLED. STATUS OF OCCUPANTS: UNKNOWN.

Without another thought, Tony leapt from his seat and strode from the room. He heard people protesting behind him but he didn't slow or stop. He pushed his way past the press and the nosey onlookers. He activated his Iron Man armour and burst into the air. He was on his way back home before he said anything.

"JARVIS, what happened?" was that his voice? It sounded so raspy and high.

"An unknown number of assailants breached the perimeter a short time ago. I have notified local authorities and am aiding your mates in their endeavour to drive the intruders out."

"How are they? The pups?"

"The pups are in the panic room. Your mates are fighting the attackers."

Tony cursed, loud and colourful. There was no way he'd get back there in time to help. Reluctantly he flew to the Tower where he could plug in and monitor everything.

He stripped the armour off in record time and ran to his computer terminals. JARVIS had already set everything up and Tony picked up a headset to listen as his mates repelled the attackers. Be it good or bad, he wasn't allowed to speak to his mates. He swallowed screams when the blows came too close, when his mates were pushed back. He fought the urge to jump in the suit and try to make it back home anyway.

What seemed like an eternity later, the assailants were all down, either dead or in custody. SHIELD swooped in, led by the ever resourceful, Phil Coulson.

"Steve? Clint? Thor?" Tony called, hoping JARVIS would let him talk to his mates soon. He watched from the cameras around his home as his mates talked to operatives and cleaned up some of the mess they'd made of the front lawn. "Natasha? T'Challa? Bruce?"

Bruce and the Hulk were absent from the fight, Tony switched to the feed of the safe room and wept when he saw Bruce sitting on the floor surrounding by pups. The babies were oblivious to the danger that had tried to kick down their front door and were more interested in exploring the safe room.

"Tony?" Thor's voice interrupted his crying jag.

"Thor!" Tony cried, "You're all okay?"

"Yes, love, we're fine," Thor looked up at one of the security cameras and smiled. Tony smiled back even though the Asgardian couldn't see him.

"We're fine, Tony," Steve appeared, looking up at the same camera with a smile slightly tainted by the blood on his lip, "We're all okay."

Clint swaggered over, "We took care of the threat. A few are in custody. Some didn't make it that far. They should have known better than to attack the home of the Avengers."

"Is that it, then?" Natasha asked as she and T'Challa appeared. Tony could see some SHIELD personnel milling about in the background, among them the shadowy figures of the attackers, "Was that your bad feeling?"

"I hope so. My heart can't take much more of this." Tony grumbled, trying to add levity to the situation but the frowns from his mates through the camera said the attempt fell flat.

"We'll get some answers from these guys and maybe that'll be the end of it," Steve sounded hopeful.

 ***** Page Break *****

"We have to go back to New York, don't we?"

Complete silence met the declaration. Tony remained lying on his back staring up at the dark ceiling. He felt a sudden longing for the light from his reactor. His hand twitched, an aborted move towards his chest, before he forced himself to lie still. He looked to the screen positioned at his right where his mates were all snuggled in the den. The pups were sleeping in their cots just a short distance away. He felt a pang of longing and barely held in his whine. The others shuffled around and even in the dim light he knew he had their attention.

"We need a base of operations in case Earth ever needs saving again," Tony shivered at the brief flash of memory from the Chitauri invasion. That massive space ship exploding amongst the stars in a galaxy he didn't recognise. "The Malibu house is a home, for us and our pups, but it's not a place where the Avengers can train and coordinate."

More silence. He heard Bruce sigh and wished he hadn't woken up his science-bro. Bruce had been exhausted by the effort of holding back the Hulk during the attempted invasion. Tony could still see the dark shadows and stress lines marring his face.

"We could turn this place into the Avengers compound," Steve suggested, but it was hesitant and full of doubt.

"That sort of defeats the purpose of having a Tower in the first place," Natasha remarked.

"Can we build a compound?" Clint asked as he played with something in his hands. Tony looked closer and saw it was one of his Iron Man bracelets. It wouldn't call the armour without Tony's say so but Clint had apparently taken to keeping one close by.

"Sure, I can build a compound," Tony remarked thoughtfully. Something in his chest eased at the thought he wouldn't have to return to the Tower. He'd spent so long dreaming about it and then the memory of the place had been forever tarnished by Maximoff.

"We could design it to accommodate all of us and our pups," Steve sounded more enthused. "Bedrooms for the pups, like they would have here, training rooms and conference rooms. You and Bruce could have your workshops."

Tony hummed, liking the idea. His engineering mind was intrigued by the possibilities as more and more ideas popped into his head. The home they had in Malibu was great. It had everything they needed, if they were a regular family. But there was no room to grow. If they had more pups, they would have to move anyway. If they were called on, they had no armoury or other resources close by. They had been incredibly lucky they hadn't been needed during their sabbatical.

"We can sell the Tower. Or perhaps destroy it," Thor rumbled, "Cleanse it of the bad energies wrought by the unfortunate witch."

Tony shuddered. Thoughts of Maximoff still hurt. He felt a deep well of pity and anger when he thought of her. As well as a dozen other emotions he couldn't begin to catalogue and recognise.

"I'm all for demolition," Clint announced.

"Pepper would kill me if I destroyed the Tower," Tony murmured, "But I'll gladly sell it to her and she can do what she wants with it."

Murmurs of agreement met his declaration instead of the earlier silence.

"Let us build a home just for us," T'Challa rumbled and Tony couldn't agree more.

 ***** Page Break *****

Sophia Reynolds was like a cockroach. She just wouldn't go away. Tenacity had nothing on this blonde sociopath.

Tony flipped on the kitchen TV after trying and failing to get some sleep. Even listening to the sounds of his mates sleeping in Malibu hadn't calmed the sick feeling in his gut. As he sipped his coffee, he found a channel that made the brew taste like ash on his tongue.

Reynolds was now demanding she see 'her pup'. She wanted 'Sam' brought to her so she could ascertain he was in good health. She was pressing charges of abandonment and abuse on Tony. It wouldn't stick but it was one more annoyance designed to irritate and distract Tony.

Apparently, news of the attack on the residence had reached headlines. Probably someone had been tipped off before and was cashing in on some seedy gossip.

"JARVIS, find me the first person who published the story," Tony kept his gaze glued on the TV as Reynolds cried very prettily to the reporters.

 _'_ _Right away, Sir.'_

Tony watched in morbid fascination as the woman spun lie after lie and the press just ate it up. It was another reminder that no one would ever let him forget his past.

 _My kids are going to see this one day._

The thought sent a shiver of dread down his spine. Would his pups hate him? He loved them so much and he despised the thought of them finding out about all his mistakes.

"JARVIS, have we found out who paid Miss Reynolds, yet?"

 _'_ _No, Sir. The trail ends rather abruptly, and I have yet to locate any further correspondence.'_

"They probably used paper, J."

Tony rubbed his tired eyes and drained the last of his coffee. He checked his phone and found a message from Pepper. He called her back and listened to her apologise before informing him Judge Lake was ordering him back. Thankfully there was no mention of bringing Aaron with him so that was the single good note in a rather gloomy morning.

He changed into one of his business suits on autopilot. Too tired to care if he looked his best. He stood by the large screen still depicting his mates and pups. They were just starting to stir even though Tony could tell is was early morning there.

"Leaving again?" Thor's voice made his jump but he offered the sleepy Asgardian with a weak smile.

"I've been recalled back to court."

Clint groaned, "Just let me kill her."

"Tempting as that may be, we'll let her hang herself with all of her lies, first," Tony replied.

"Should we come to you?" T'Challa asked.

Tony's first instinct was to say 'no'. But then he looked at their tired eyes, tense bodies and remembered seeing the front door of the house, scarred and damaged from the attempted entry just last night. It was no longer safe there.

"I think it's time we all made an appearance," Tony murmured. The way his mate's faces lit up said he'd made the right choice.

"Finally. We'll head to the Tower and settle in as soon as the pups are ready," Steve climbed to his feet, lacking his usual grace, "We'll see you tonight."

 ***** Page Break *****

There was a hint of desperation around Sophia Reynolds' eyes when Tony next saw her. The fine hair and makeup was a little less sculpted, she fidgeted with her hands. Something was going on behind the scenes. Perhaps she'd realised what a mistake she'd made, but it was too late to change whose side she was on now.

"Miss Reynolds, we've heard you say the pup in question is yours, but you have no rights to the infant," Jefferson was done with the whole thing too. He spoke in a cool, clear voice that seemed to make Reynolds shrink just a little in the witness box.

"I-I gave birth to-"

"Irrelevant. The child is not yours. Biologically the child belongs to Mr Stark and the sire. Legally, the child belongs to Mr Stark. You may have carried the child, but you signed away any rights you had before implantation."

"He's a horrible mother!"

"How so?"

"He's a disgusting, perverted playboy! He's corrupted Captain America and the other Avengers into some sort of sick harem. He's just using them!" her face flushed, Reynolds shot a pleading look at the jury, "Sam is not safe with this man!"

"Miss Reynolds, please calm yourself," Jefferson remarked. He turned to the jury. "I think we can all agree that this case is a waste of time. The ludicrous charges brought against my client are nothing but delusional fantasies by Miss Reynolds."

"Lies!" Reynolds shrieked.

Tony watched in fascination as the woman came unhinged. She screamed and raged at Jefferson, the jury, Tony and even the judge. Finally, Moss hurried to the stand and ushered the woman from the witness stand. She looked older now, more her true age. Had it only been a week ago that he'd thought her convincingly young and innocent?

The lawyers finished their closing arguments and then Judge Lake excused everyone. The verdict would be read the following day.

Tony heaved a sigh of relief as he climbed to his feet. Pepper hugged him and offered a small smile. It was almost over.

"I need to get home to Cassandra," Pepper stated as they made their way out of the courtroom. "She's been very clingy lately."

"Nesting," Tony grinned.

Pepper rolled her eyes, "Don't sound so smug. You'll go through the same thing when you have more pups. Assuming you want to."

Tony grimaced. "Some days I think it would be good. To actually spend a proper heat with my mates and plan the baby's rooms while I'm carrying. All that stuff I didn't get to do with the first litter." He sighed, "Other days, when stuff like this happens, I think it's the worst idea imaginable."

"You can't let nutjobs like this woman decide your future," Pepper chided, "You're better than that."

Tony quirked a half-smile. "Have you found out the gender of your pups yet?"

Pepper narrowed her eyes at his change in topic but allowed it. "We're keeping it a surprise. How's living with the two lovebirds?"

"Fan-freaking-tastic. Their lovey-dovey pheromones are all over the place. It's like being the third wheel on someone's honeymoon," Tony groused.

Pepper grinned, "Well, your mates should be there by now. How about you head on home and share the good news."

"It's not official yet."

"All but. That woman just blew her only defence and made sure she looks as mad as she is."

Tony's chuckle was cut off by another voice slicing into him from behind. He grunted with surprise when he realised something had _actually_ hit him from behind. He lifted a hand to his neck and found it wet. He turned to Pepper in time to watch her slump against the wall.

"Not mad, Miss Potts, just ambitious."

 ***** Page Break *****

"What the hell were you thinking?"

"They made me angry, I didn't think."

"You never do, you stupid creature."

"Hey! I'm not stupid."

Tony became aware of his body as it was rocking gently. He was moving like he was on a boat. Rocking and rolling and rocking and…why would he be on a boat?

Awareness didn't come quickly just because he realised something was wrong. Whatever they had given him had made his limbs heavy. He fought the groan in his throat, struggling to keep himself lax even while his flight instinct was urging him to get up, up, up!

"Think he's awake yet?"

"Who cares? If he is, we'll give him some more of this stuff and he'll drop back off to sleep."

"We only have so much."

"Enough to get us out of the city."

"How much did you use on the redhead?"

"About the same."

"You better not have killed her."

"And if I did?"

" _He_ won't be happy."

Silence followed and Tony thought for a moment that they had gone. He kept his breathing as regular as possible and his body lax. He was on the backseat of a car, he thought. A rather large car if he could stretch out on the seat. Short he may be, but he couldn't lie fully stretched like he was in the backseat of a normal car.

Limo? Stretch Hummer? Those kinds of cars tended to stand out.

Surely, someone would spot him.

He must have faded back out again because the next thing he knew he was being hauled from the car and onto someone's shoulder. He couldn't hold in the groan even as he struggled to get sensation back in his legs. Or even his eyes. He couldn't see anything.

"Give him some more."

Before he could protest, he felt a sting in his neck again. He swatted at the pain and his hand connected with something. He heard a yelp and then a shriek then nothing.

The next time he woke he was tied up in a chair, reliving the world's most cliché kidnapping scene. He kept his eyes shut as he wriggled his toes and twitches his fingers, getting a sense of where everything was.

He chanced a peek through his lashes and found only a darkened room. He opened them fully and found no one in sight. He didn't move his head. What if someone was behind him?

"I know you're awake."

 _Ah, crap._

Tony straightened a little and peered over his shoulder. He couldn't see the man who had spoken, and he didn't know the voice.

"Who are you?" Tony rasped, hating his dry throat, "What do you want?"

"I am someone you have annoyed these past few months," the voice replied, a cool deep edge to it, "As to what I want…I want what was promised to me."

Tony gulped. "And what was promised to you?"

"Soldiers."

That one word had him spinning back in time to when he met with Ross. He swallowed the bile in his throat as he remembered the manic look on Ross' face when he looked at Aaron and Caleb.

"Sorry, bud. I don't make weapons anymore." Snarky might not be the best option but why change now?

"You've already done your part, now I wish to receive the final product," the man sounded coldly furious. He remained behind Tony which was disappointing. It was always best to see someone's face. They could lie in their voice, but their face was harder to mask.

"Now, where are you hiding those pups?" the angry voice turned mocking and Tony felt a shiver of rage build in his veins. Just a flicker then it was gone. The feeling was so startling, Tony forgot the question and had to cover it up by asking one of his own.

"Where's Reynolds and Moss?" Tony tried not to let his inner turmoil show but he felt shaken by the strange boiling rage he'd felt. What kind of drugs had they given him?

"They fulfilled their purpose," the voice replied, "But for their failure, they had to be terminated."

"You killed them." It wasn't surprising. The fear on Sophia Reynolds' face had been real when he'd last seen her. It was clear she'd upset someone, and she knew what would become of her.

The voice hummed. "Now, answer my question."

"What was the question?"

"Where are your pups?"

Tony gritted his teeth at the wave of burning rage that swept through him again. This time it lingered, teasing at the edge of his mind. "Untie these ropes and I'll tell you."

"Tell me or I'll tie one around your neck."

"Yeah, that'll get me to talk, if your snap my neck," Tony snarked, "Or damage my vocal cords."

The man made no movement but suddenly he was right behind Tony. Tony screamed when a white-hot bolt of pain shot through him. He looked down and saw the man's hand wrapped around a dagger imbedded in his upper arm.

 _Seriously?!_

Tony gritted his teeth as he panted through the pain. He felt blood drip down his arm slicking his fingers. He wriggled his hands and found the blood had loosened the hold they had on his wrists.

"I'm not the kind of man you keep waiting," the angry man snarled. "Where are they?"

"Go to Hell."

The dagger was ripped from his arm only to be plunged into his leg. He screamed again and felt the rage, that burning-red wave boil up and overflow. He saw red cloud his vision but all he could think was how this man was a threat. This creature, insignificant and pointless, was a threat to his pups, his mates and his home.

The threat had to be eliminated.

 ***** Page Break *****

He floated and floated and slowly came back down. He came to on a soft bed, no rocking or tight ropes. He heard beeping and felt sore in his arm and leg. He felt…tired. There was an odd tang of iron on his tongue and a pounding in his head.

"Hey, Tony, Tony, you're okay." A soft voice soothed. "You're in the hospital."

Hospital? Why?

 _Soldiers._

Tony growled and tried to lurch up. That bastard was not getting his pups!

"Tony! He's gone, you're safe. The pups are safe."

That same voice. Familiar. Loved. Trusted. He relaxed slightly, and his vision cleared. White walls, white blankets. A gorgeous blonde staring down at him with blue eyes.

Steve.

The Alpha met his eyes and smiled. Tired but happy. "Hey, you. So glad you could join us. You've been napping for the better part of the day, lazy bones."

Tony wanted to snark back but found his tongue wasn't working properly. He frowned, trying to form words.

"Easy. You've been through a lot. You need to rest."

"What…" Tony tried to say more but couldn't.

"Reynolds and her lawyer kidnapped you from the courthouse, do you remember?"

Tony nodded then wished he hadn't when his head swum.

"They're dead. It looks like their boss killed them after they brought you to him. His name was Henry Boyd. Apparently, he was a secret partner in Ross' plot. JARVIS has been working overtime to make sure there's not more hidden associates."

 _"_ _I am so sorry, Sir, that I did not find him before. As far as I could tell he was not at all associated with General Ross. However, when I went back I found one case of stolen identity that led me straight to him. He masked all of his transactions through this other identity and would have likely gotten away scot free if he hadn't tried to grab you.'_

"It's okay, J." Tony tried to say. He wasn't sure he succeeded but JARVIS accepted anyway.

"You know, Reynolds was apparently the one responsible for the getaway car," Steve's smile was strained but sincere, "She decided it would be good to escape in a pink limo."

Tony's confusion must have shown because Steve laughed, "Yeah, I know, not the brightest bulb. I guess we'll never know what she was thinking when she leased that car."

Tony wondered darkly if Sophia Reynolds had known she was likely to die. If she had been smart enough to recognise her fate and had decided to go out with a bang, relive her old party life. Or perhaps to screw over her killer by leading the police right to him.

"Do you remember what happened to Boyd?" Steve's question had him returning to the present. The Alpha's pensive look made him concerned. He shook his head.

"You…ah, you killed him," Steve admitted, "You flew into an Omega Rage and…killed him."

Tony hissed in a breath. What was he supposed to feel? Shocked? Angry? Remorseful? Horrified? He felt all those things, but some deep part of him that was pure Omega, was very pleased with itself. He'd taken out a threat to his Pride, his pups. He had defended his territory and his right to his mates.

"You need to rest some more, Tony," Steve murmured, "You're still tired, I can tell. You should sleep."

He didn't want to, he wanted to stay awake for answers and to see his mates and pups…but even as he thought it he felt himself drifting away again. He was really getting sick of people drugging him.


	4. The One With Bucky Barnes

**The One With Bucky Barnes**

"…Breaking News: Tony Stark kidnapped!"

"…Tony Stark was kidnapped outside the courthouse today. He was found relatively unharmed, but police have yet to comment on who the attackers were. We have been told that the attackers are deceased, and that Mr Stark is aiding in their enquiries."

"…That crazy Omega woman grabbed Tony Stark! There's video all over the internet of her and her lawyer dragging Stark into the back of a pink limo. I mean, pink?! What's with that?"

"…Do we know who all was involved in the kidnapping of Mr Stark?"

"I believe we do. The getaway vehicle was very distinctive and helped police in their efforts to track Mr Stark down."

"Certainly not the smartest criminals."

"It would seem so."

"Can you tell us what you found when you arrived at the scene?"

"Mr Stark was held in a disused warehouse owned by Boyd Enterprises whose wealthy benefactor, Henry Boyd, was found at the scene, along with the two kidnappers."

"…Holy crap, Henry Boyd kidnapped a billionaire!"

"…Who's Henry Boyd?"

"He's the founder of Boyd Enterprises, a company that specialised in biological weapons and research into bio-engineering…just about anything. Basically, if it had the term 'biological' in it then Boyd Enterprises was likely involved, particularly if it involved military applications."

"So, he's kind of like how Stark used to be."

"Stark Industries never made biological weapons but in a general manner, yes. Boyd Enterprises helped fill the void left by Stark Industries in the weapons business."

"…Boyd Enterprises found guilty of fraud and embezzlement. Without the founder, the company looks set to close its doors forever."

"…Links between former bio-weapons tycoon, Henry Boyd, and disgraced former General, Thadeus Ross.

"…Did Ross have anything to do with the kidnapping?"

"We're certainly looking into that but at this stage it seems Mr Boyd concocted the scheme on his own."

"Do we know why?"

"He was in business with Ross and when Ross was arrested, Boyd lost out on what he was promised in the deal."

"What was he promised?"

"Super soldiers."

"…Outrage tonight calling for the death penalty to be applied to former Army General, Thaddeus Ross, on trial for heinous abuse of power and biological theft."

"…Does anyone know what happened when Stark was kidnapped? How did he get away? Everyone's saying how the attackers are all dead, how did they die?"

"…Police have tonight released a statement concerning Mr Stark's kidnapping almost two weeks ago. Cause of death for two of the three attackers is a gunshot to the head, while it is believed that the third attacker, the one pulling the strings, was severely beaten in what the coroner believes to be a perfect example of Omega Rage."

"…Dude, Stark killed that guy! Don't mess with his kids."

"…I'd do the same thing. If someone came after my kids I'd eviscerate the bastards, make sure there's no chance of them trying again. Anyone who's ever been a parent should understand this."

"…Steve Rogers has today delivered a statement on behalf of his mate who is still bedridden. He asks for compassion during this trying time and space, so he and his Pride can heal after recent traumatic events."

"…Stark Industries is said to have bought outright, the former Avengers tower in the middle of New York. The impressive monument was designed by Mr Stark and has been the superhero group's base of operations for several years now. When asked why he was selling, Mr Stark, in his first public appearance since his kidnapping last month, claimed that the Tower represented some good and bad memories but it's not the kind of place he wishes to raise his children. Where the Avengers are moving to is still undecided but there are rumours of a new structure being built that will house the Avengers and their offspring comfortably."

"…Are the Avengers coming back?"

"…New Avengers compound built to satisfy their large Pride."

"…I thought the Tower was impressive but this compound thing they've got going on is seriously awesome. Have you seen that giant fence? It's like Fort Knox or something. No way anyone's getting in there."

"…Hey, Stark's been in the news a lot so it's been really bugging me, has anyone seen the Stark pups? They would be like…nine months old now?"

"That sounds about right. I'm guessing Mr Stark is protecting his kids as most celebrities do at this tender age. The poor kids are going to be hounded enough when they reach schooling age, I suppose the Avengers Pride are just trying to protect the pups for as long as they can."

"I get that, but we don't even know their names. Or how many there are. What genders or dynamics. I bet there's a bunch of betting pools right now getting very impatient about these answers."

"…Today, the Avengers Pride released a statement concerning their pups. The other Avengers confirmed that they are the sires to all ten pups. Mr Stark has declared that he always knew who the sires were but wanted to keep his children out of the public eye as much as possible. With recent events, he claims he wants to move on with their lives and so has stopped hiding them away completely. Perhaps, we'll be lucky enough to see them out and about in public soon."

"…In response to recent media attention, Mr Stark has finally gifted us with the names and images of his children. First up we have Aaron, Caleb, Storm, Matthew, all single births. Then we have three sets of twins, Maria and Ryan, Vanessa and Alexis and Mikaela and Daniella. All pups are healthy and growing. Good luck to the Avengers Pride in raising this large litter."

"…Oh, my God the Avengers pups are so cute! Did you see them?"

"Who's Caleb's sire?"

"Which one is Caleb?"

"The little guy with dark hair and blue eyes. Always has a fish plushie in his photos."

"Hmm…I don't know. I don't think they've said."

"…Who is Caleb's sire? The final pup has remained unclaimed by any of the Alphas in the Pride. Could there be another Alpha out there who can lay claim to this adorable little pup?"

 ***** Page Break *****

"Tony you've been down here all day. You need to eat something."

"I ate breakfast."

"Yesterday."

"Is it tomorrow already?"

"No, it's Wednesday and you've been down here since Sunday. The pups are starting to forget what you look like. We miss you."

Tony sighed and put down the gears he was fiddling with. He wasn't even doing anything with them, just fiddling. While he waited. And waited.

Nick Fury was an asshole. He was keeping Tony waiting on purpose.

"I know that look. The paranoia has set in. Up we go, time for some food."

"I'm not paranoid."

"And that bird wasn't really after your sandwich."

"It was too!"

Steve rolled his eyes and hoisted Tony up onto his shoulder into a fireman's carry. Tony went limp and just enjoyed the view as Steve bounded from the workshop and into the elevator. The man really had a fantastic ass.

"I got him." Steve announced as they entered the kitchen. Tony liked watching the floors change. On their floor, where they lived with the pups, they had nothing but colour and warmth. The workshop, labs, gyms and other 'work' areas were more clinical and functional. It was nice to be able to separate them.

"Great. I got the rope if we need to tie him down." Clint piped up.

"Kinky, Barton. At least feed me first." Tony was placed on one of the kitchen chairs as a plate of sandwiches was shoved at him. He grudgingly took a bite then rapidly decided the effort of chewing was well worth it and started mowing through the delicious culinary marvels.

"Fury won't contact you any quicker just because you're wearing yourself thin," Natasha admonished. "He's probably enjoying thinking about you sweating it."

Tony pulled a face and shoved more egg sandwich into his mouth to keep from commenting about Fury imagining Tony sweating at all. By the look on Natasha's face, he didn't need to say anything out loud.

"Now, who's kinky?" apparently Clint had noticed too.

"How are the pups?" Tony changed the subject.

Bruce wandered in, "Playing. Racing. Who can tell anymore? They're very mobile now, at least in a crawling sense. No walking yet."

Tony swallowed through a suddenly constricted throat and regarded the rest of the PB and J. "They've grown up so fast."

"They're not grown yet." Steve remarked gruffly.

"God, before we know it they'll be off to school," Tony moaned. He rubbed his head. "What if they're like me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Genius." Tony shoved the rest of his sandwich away, suddenly not feeling hungry.

Steve reached over and cupped his face, eyes shining with sympathy, "We'll still love them. We won't make the mistakes Howard did."

"It's not just Howard," Tony mumbled. He felt his other mates all circle around him like they could protect him from his own insecurities. It was a touching though pointless gesture. "I was always too smart for my peers. I had to skip grades. I was emotionally underdeveloped and physically smaller than everyone in my classes and they resented being upstaged by someone who couldn't even touch the floor when sitting on a chair."

"I am sorry you went through that," T'Challa rumbled from behind him, "I'm afraid I was sheltered by my parents during my schooling years, so I never experienced this behaviour from my peers."

"I was the same," Thor remarked, "Loki and I were schooled together but often we were set against each other by our teachers. I can recall that now, but at the time it was…normal. I admit to feeling ashamed of my actions back then."

"Tasha and I never went to school. Well, not really. Wrong kind of schools. So, we're not much help there either." Clint shrugged, trying to appear blasé but Tony could see the rigid lines in his shoulders and the way Natasha looked like she wanted to leave.

"I missed a lot of school," Steve said wistfully. "I was always too sick."

"My school years were fairly normal but being the weird science kid didn't help making friends," Bruce added, "I get where you're coming from. Being a genius is not easy. If our kids end up inheriting your IQ or even mine, we'll deal with it. We'll never judge them for it. And we certainly won't pit them against each other."

"Yikes, we are a bunch of misfits aren't we," Tony chuckled helplessly.

"And we'll be just fine," Steve remarked earnestly.

Tony sighed, "And they say I'm a genius," he rolled his eyes at Steve's smirk, "Now, how do I get a hold of the pirate?"

Months ago, when he'd first been approached to create something that would break the brainwashing in James Barnes' head, Tony had been sceptical. Brains were not his things. Robots and engines were his forte. But he'd needed something to do while his mates were fawning over Maximoff so set himself some half-hearted task to try. Fast forward to the present and between all the drama going on, he'd pulled it off.

The Binary Augmented Retro Framing was going to revolutionise mind therapy. If only he had a better acronym than BARF. Ah, well, once he'd patented and sold it to the right people, they could rename it something more soothing. It was designed to tap into certain areas of the brain and, for lack of a better word, fix them. The areas of the brain Tony was targeting were the sore spots, the metaphorical scars or open wounds left by trauma.

When Tony tried it on himself he got some mixed results. Oh, it worked fine, perfectly even. He could now take a bath with his mates, something he hadn't been able to do since Afghanistan. The mixed results came when his mates found out he'd been experimenting on himself.

 _Now that was a serious scolding. I got the Puppy-Eyes from Thor, the Scowl of Disappointment from Captain America, the lethal glare from Natasha, the tired sigh from Bruce and complete avoidance from Clint. Not a fun weekend._

Only T'Challa would talk to him for a few days and that was only because he didn't know about Tony's previous reckless methods when testing out his new tech. They'd forgiven him eventually, but they weren't letting him forget it anytime soon.

Now the BARF system was being used on Barnes, to hopefully fix whatever slushy Hydra had made of his head. And Nick Fury was late in updating Tony about the success or failure of the procedure.

Stupid pirate.

"You could just call me by my name, Stark."

Tony yelped when the voice came from the tablet he didn't even realise Bruce had been carrying. "Gods, Goddess and the Cosmos," he clutched his chest in only partially exaggerated fright, "It's like I said Bloody Mary too many times in a mirror."

Fury's unimpressed look did wonders to calm him down. He shot the man a smirk. "How'd my tech go? Did your minions screw it up?"

"No, they didn't. Your prototype worked. It worked so well in fact, that Barnes' therapist suggested he visit with some old friends."

 _'_ _Sir, there is someone at the gate requesting entrance_ '.

"That should be him now," with those parting words, Fury vanished from the screen and all Tony could do was gape at it.

Bastard always did like having the last word.

 ***** Page Break *****

Steve and Natasha went to collect their guest while Thor and T'Challa kept an eye on the pups. Tony remained seated for a long moment, Bruce and Clint on either side of him.

"You don't have to see him," Bruce said in a soft voice, "No one would blame you if you didn't want to see him."

"Are you sure?" Tony rasped. He was afraid to admit how terrified he was. His stomach was churning with nerves. And he suddenly wished he hadn't eaten those sandwiches.

"Steve knows how hard this is for you," Clint whispered, "He won't blame you if you don't want to see Bucky."

Tony sighed a shuddering breath. Did he want to see Bucky? He wasn't even sure what he feared. Was it seeing the man in person? Was it remembering his parents' death?

"Steve and Tasha are going to keep him on the ground floor for now. It looks like Fury has pretty much abandoned him here, so he can have one of the guest rooms down there, or we can send him right back. SHIELD will have to take him if we refuse," Bruce informed him. "He won't get anywhere near you."

"He's Caleb's father." The one undeniable fact about this situation was that Caleb's sire was alive and kicking and didn't he deserve some happiness after the shitty hand life had dealt him so far?

"He doesn't know that. SHIELD wouldn't have told him. The only way he knows is if you tell him. That's your choice."

Tony sighed, trying to calm his racing heart. "JARVIS, pull up the video feed from the ground floor."

JARVIS projected the security feed onto the kitchen wall.

Steve and Natasha were huddled close to a tensed figure wearing a dark hoodie and jeans. He looked…normal.

"He's still got that ridiculous man-bun," Tony remarked for lack of anything else to say. Clint and Bruce chuckled but Tony couldn't tear his eyes from the screen. He watched as the trio talked, moving closer and away from each other like some silent ballet. It was awkward to watch.

"I think he's missing his arm," Bruce mentioned. Tony looked closer and found that yes, the sleeve of the hoodie on Barnes' left side was empty.

"What did they do with it?" Clint asked.

"Probably scrap metal. I could make something better," Tony groused, "Which is probably part of the reason he's here. Fury wants me to fix this problem too."

"You don't have to."

"Don't I?"

The others went silent and still Tony couldn't take his eyes off the screen. He sat there for a while, watching and listening to the droning conversation happening in his lobby before he suddenly bolted to his feet. "Tell Steve his friend can stay in one of the guest rooms. JARVIS, he's not allowed outside without someone escorting him and he's not allowed onto an elevator at all."

He fled before someone could ask him any questions and he returned to his lab where he suddenly felt the need to make something.

 ***** Page Break *****

He managed to avoid Barnes for the better part of two days. He also successfully dodged Steve's puppy-eyes just begging everyone to get along. Tony could understand that. When his mates had first met Rhodey and Pepper, he'd been terrified someone wouldn't like someone else and the tension would drive everyone to choose sides. He was extremely lucky that all the important people in his life got along. One big happy family. Now there was a new member skirting the edges of their family circle and Tony was the one opposing him.

 _I'm living in a soap drama._

The avoidance worked well in his favour. He got to spy on his new houseguest while also working on the cyborg's arm. Damn Fury and his all-seeing eye. He knew once he presented a problem to Tony that his genius mind would start spitting out solutions. Look what happened when Fury made him find that new element.

So, he was two days in on a massive project – making a robotic arm that could respond to stimulus and brain activity much the same way a flesh and blood limb did – and wondering why he hadn't done this earlier.

Then Captain Sad-Eyes tracked him down and Tony's little hidey-hole was ruined.

"Traitor," he muttered to the ceiling, in the general direction JARVIS' voice came from. The AI was silent, but Tony could practically feel the smug oozing from the circuits in the wall.

"Tony, if you want him gone, I can make him go," Steve began as soon as Tony turned back to him.

"Huh?" so maybe he should have taken a break. He'd been working too long with too little rest, but his brain thrived on coffee and challenges and…some other stuff. Maybe it had been too long since he slept.

"Bucky. I can make him go back to SHIELD if he's making you uncomfortable," Steve continued, "He's nervous being here, he knows you're not comfortable with him around. He asks about you a lot, wondering if you're okay with him being here and he can tell I'm lying when I say you're fine."

"Um," very eloquent Tony.

Steve's gaze wandered from Tony and widened at the sight of the metal arm coming together on the table. "Is that...?"

"Yeah. It's a robot arm. Still just a prototype. I've never done something like this before, unless you count DUM-E's arm," he gestured to the lurking bot in the corner who clicked his claw and uttered an inquisitive series of beeps.

"Wow," Steve breathed. He touched the metal gently, almost reverently, "This is amazing."

"Well, I'm pretty brilliant," Tony quipped with a small grin. It felt funny on his face.

Steve tore his gaze from the arm and frowned at Tony, "You need sleep. When did you last rest?"

"Um."

Steve rolled his eyes. "You can't be left to take care of yourself. What would you ever do without us?"

"Starve to death without realising it?" Tony suggested as Steve hauled him up like he had done just a few days before, "Fall asleep on a nuclear bomb? Start hallucinating that the walls are talking to me again?"

"The walls talk to you?"

"They did. That's why I built JARVIS. Now I have a legitimate excuse for talking to the building. It talks back."

 _'_ _You change my origin story every time you tell it, Sir.'_

"Hush you. No sassing your mother."

 ***** Page Break *****

He slept until he couldn't anymore, then he climbed out of bed and somewhere between the kitchen and the bathroom, he decided it would be a good idea to visit their houseguest.

 _'_ _Sir are you sure about this?'_

"Of course, J, why do you ask?" he was already in the elevator, might as well go through with it now.

 _'_ _Sir, it is two o'clock in the morning.'_

"Huh," well that complicated things, "Is he awake?"

JARVIS paused then grudgingly admitted that Bucky Barnes was awake and wandering around the living room near the guest suites.

Tony exited the elevator and made his way towards the man he had been dreading seeing. The closer he got the more his stomach swirled.

He found Barnes standing by the windows, looking out at the dark night surrounding them. He had no doubt the ex-assassin knew he was there.

"Are you here to kick me out?" Bucky's voice was low and gravelly. The kind that sent a shiver up Tony's spine. He blinked at his reaction. He hadn't expected that _at all._

"Uh, no," Tony finally muttered, realising he'd been quiet probably too long. "I'm just here to, I don't know, say hi?"

Bucky turned from the window and frowned at him, piercing him with those silver eyes he'd come to know in a much smaller, friendlier face.

"You came to say hi to your parents' murderer?"

The question sent a jolt of a different kind right through Tony's chest. He rubbed his sternum, feeling for the familiar scars before remembering that all trace of them had been erased by Idunn's apple. He cleared his throat and asked, "Do you remember them?"

Bucky's face was all cool seriousness. No emotion on that harsh face. But Tony could hear the man's voice crack just a little when he mumbled, "I remember all of them."

Tony swallowed and wished he had a drink. Something strong. He hadn't had the urge to drown his emotions in alcohol in ages, but this might just break his streak. He pushed the urge away and looked somewhere near Bucky without meeting those silver eyes.

"Fury said the treatment worked."

Bucky twitched, just a little, before going still again. "It did. I can no longer be triggered by the words meant to activate the Winter Soldier. But I can still remember what I did. All those people I killed."

Tony hummed, "I can still remember waking up in a cave in Afghanistan with a car battery hooked up to my chest." He smirked, a little lop-sided grin when Bucky twitched again. "I guess we all have something."

They were silent for a long time. Neither really looking at each other. Their glances would collide for a moment before skittering away.

"Well, this is awkward," Tony declared when the silence got to him. He heard Bucky give a soft snicker but chose not to acknowledge it. The man was nervous as a cat.

"I'd offer you food, but I can't cook, I can barely work the microwave," Bucky gestured in the direction of the kitchen, "And all there is to drink is water and juice."

"Well, I can't cook to save myself. Just ask Pepper, she banned me from the kitchen claiming I was trying to poison her once. Steve makes a great breakfast. Was he like that when he was younger?" Tony had asked the question before he realised that just because Bucky remember all the Winter Soldier nightmares, it didn't mean he remembered all his previous life.

Bucky quirked his lips a little, "Kid tried but he failed a lot. Still, beggars can't be choosers. We ate what we could get. His mother was a fantastic cook. Maybe when Stevie finally grew into his body he got better at following in her footsteps."

"Ah-ha, I knew he was lying," Tony crowed, "He's always going on about how he was always a good cook. Got anymore dirt on our resident pretty boy?"

Bucky's lips resembled a faint smile this time. "Get comfy. This could take a while."

 ***** Page Break *****

"No really?"

"Really."

"He did that? What did his mother say?"

"Sarah had some very interesting words to say to him after that stunt."

Tony cackled loudly and was happy to hear Bucky chuckled along with him. This impromptu visit had turned out okay.

"What's going on?"

"Speak of the devil," Bucky grinned at his old friend standing in the doorway.

Tony laughed harder. He hadn't laughed like this in too long. He finally focused on Steve, "We were just reliving your glory days on the mean streets."

Steve's face ran the gamut from confused to dawning horror. He glared at Bucky. "You wouldn't."

"Sorry, Stevie, I always said I'd tell your future mate all these stories," Bucky declared, completely unrepentant.

Steve narrowed his eyes, "Well, I seem to recall a lot of stories I was going to tell your future mate too. Maybe Tony wouldn't mind a preview."

"Yes, please!" Tony giggled while Bucky's face morphed into comical horror.

"You play dirty, punk."

 _The badass assassin is pouting like a five-year-old._ The look on his face only made Tony laugh harder.

"Well I'm glad you're getting along, even if it is at my expense, but I know someone who hasn't eaten properly in several days and needs something besides coffee," Steve arched a brow at Tony, "Do I have to carry you again?"

Tony flopped his arms dramatically, "Yes, please, I'm too weak to move. Take me to the coffee."

"No coffee for you, breakfast as in food like toast and eggs and bacon."

Tony gasped loudly, clutching his chest, "Heathen! You would deny me coffee?"

"You've got more than enough running through your veins love," Steve drawled as he picked Tony up and cradled him to his chest.

Tony hummed and yawned, letting himself relax into the bigger man's arms. "You're no fun."

"See you later, Bucky," Steve called over his shoulder as he headed to the elevator.

"No, he can come with us, I'm not done with him yet," Tony twisted around to look in Bucky's general direction, "Come on Robocop, keep up. If we don't get there before Thor, we'll miss out on all the muffins."

Tony heard Bucky hurry to catch up and then closed his eyes, relaxing in the strong grip of his super-soldier mate.

Up in the dining room, everyone was already assembled around the table in their usual spots. As predicted, the muffins were running scarce but Tony managed to snag two as he was put in his usual seat. He craned his head around and found Bucky lurking in the doorway. He beckoned him over by holding out a muffin, "Come on, grab it before Thor inhales it."

Bucky skittered around the table and took the empty seat by Tony. He took the muffin offered to him and started nibbling on it with a scared-rabbit look to his features, like he was afraid he was going to have his food taken away.

"I see you had an interesting night," Natasha noted, nodding to Bucky before focusing on Tony, "And here I thought you'd just gotten up for a glass of water."

"Um," when in doubt, deny everything, or else just play dumb.

"We need a bigger table," Clint announced, "When will our custom one be ready?"

"About another month. It takes time to build a table to our specifics," Tony pointed out.

"Well, this table looks ridiculous in this huge room," Clint looked around at the large dining room they'd had designed for their already large family, with the possibility of more in their future. Tony hadn't said anything yet but he would be going into heat in another few months, if his system had settled down. He'd skipped a few heats while his body adjusted to changes and with all the stress he'd been under. Then a three-month shot had taken the choice from him and let him regain some equilibrium. Some part of him was looking forward to sharing a real heat with his Alphas, the first since their official mating. But this was not the time to be thinking about that, what with a non-Pride member seated beside him.

He focused on Bucky, "So, what's your plan anyway, Robocop? Did Fury give you his sales pitch about joining SHIELD?"

Bucky nodded, "I'm not sure what I want to do."

"No rush," Steve assured him, placing a plate of eggs and toast in front of Tony and Bucky before grabbing his own over-laden platter. "You've got plenty of time to make decisions."

"In the meantime, you can stay here," Tony stated before hoeing into his eggs. he moaned in bliss, "These are fantastic."

"Are you sure you're okay with me being here?" Bucky asked, using the same cool tone he'd used that night – was it only a few hours ago? – before they both settled on the couch in fits of laughter.

Tony swallowed his mouthful as he contemplated his answer. He met Bucky's eyes, remembered learning the truth about his parent's demise. How this man had killed them. Driven them off the road and…he swallowed and glanced away before returning his gaze back to the man before him. Bucky looked resigned, completely unjudgmental. He expected Tony to kick him out.

Well, Tony lived to be unpredictable.

"I want you to stay here," Tony said, aware the others were watching him too, "You're Steve's friend, his long-lost brother. You're Natasha's…something, quite frankly I'm too scared to ask. You're important to them so you're important to me."

"That isn't what I asked," Bucky returned quietly.

"You sound like my therapist," Tony grumbled, "Fine, I'm not sure I'll ever be comfortable around you. Not completely. But I don't want you to go." He cleared his throat and poked at his breakfast, "Now we better eat this before Thor starts eyeing it up."

The moment of tension was broken, and the morning breakfast sounds began again in the room. Tony made sure to eat all of his food and joke about as he normally would, then he excused himself to get some more sleep. Clint said he'd be right up to join him with a lascivious wink that had Natasha smacking the back of his head.

Tony left the cosy domestic scene without looking at Bucky Barnes, even when he felt those silver eyes burning into his back before the elevator closed.

 ***** Page Break *****

"How's it really going, Tony?"

"Rhodey, you sound like you don't trust me," Tony gasped in mock affront, clutching his chest so that his best friend could see his display. Even through the tablet he was using to stream the video chat he could practically feel the overprotective mother-hen mode Rhodey was exuding.

Rhodey just rolled his eyes, "I trust that you'll lie right to my face if it means I won't come over there and beat the shit out of Captain America's best friend."

"Well, things are fine so no need to beat up the one-armed man," Tony quickly replied.

Rhodey frowned, "The man killed your parents."

"Gee, where have I heard that before?"

"Don't be snarky," Rhodey scolded, "How are you handling having him around?"

"Honestly," Tony mused, "Better than I thought."

"Explain."

"We caught up the other night. Got to talking about Steve's early years before the serum, I have some doozies to share with you and Pepper by the way, and we talked and laughed," Tony trailed off.

Rhodey sighed, "You look tired, Tony."

"You're the second person to tell me that today."

"Steve?"

"No, actually, Bucky."

Silence greeted that statement and Tony busied himself with the wrench in his hands. He'd been in the middle of working on Bucky's arm when Rhodey called.

"Where are your mates?"

"Upstairs."

"Where is Barnes?"

"Upstairs with Steve. I think they're sparring."

"Have you shown him the pups?"

Tony hissed in a breath. "No."

"Are you going to?"

Tony thought about the nursery, about how all but one of the room's occupants could say, 'My sire is…' and have an answer. But Caleb couldn't, and one day he was going to ask and Tony would have to tell him. What if Caleb wanted to know his sire? What if Bucky wanted to know Caleb?

"I don't know."

That night he lay in bed with his mates in their custom bed and wondered how to start this minefield of a topic.

"You're thinking so loud I can hear it," Clint whispered right by his ear.

"I can hear you talking so we're even," Tony returned.

"What's going on?" Bruce mumbled from the other side if Thor's bulk.

Tony opened his mouth to reply with his usual answer of 'nothing' but what fell out instead was, "I think I should tell Bucky about Caleb."

He heard Steve inhale sharply and Natasha go deadly silent. Her breathing ceasing to stir the air at all.

"Are you sure?" T'Challa asked.

"I just keep thinking how, in a few years, Caleb's going to be asking the same question that the press is asking. He's going to guess and wonder and worry. The truth will eventually come out."

No one could deny that.

"Are you all okay with this?" Tony asked, because it certainly wasn't just him in this family. They were a united front and he couldn't make decisions on his own.

"Yes." It was scary how quickly and in sync they all replied.

Tony fell asleep trying to plan what he was going to say and how he was going to present Bucky with a son.

He drifted through the next morning in a fog, trying to plan. But all too soon, any kind of plan he might have had flew out the window when he found himself alone in his living room with Bucky. After their first meeting, Bucky had been allowed up to the communal floor regularly. They all ate meals together and watched movies, but Bucky was skittish around too much people-time, so he kept to himself downstairs as well. He'd never met the pups, but it would be impossible not to smell and hear them throughout their residential floor. He never asked, and no one ever told, as far as Tony could tell.

"Hey, Bucky," Tony began, then stopped. Bucky gave him his full attention and Tony forced himself to continue, "How much of the news have you been watching?"

"I watch it every night," Bucky replied, looking and sounding confused. He was more life-like now. He usually only went silent and cool when he was stressed, or the topic upset him.

"Have you heard the story about my pups?"

Bucky's face pinched, "Ross engineered them and blackmailed you. You ran with the pups to protect them and eventually came out of hiding. You released their photos and names recently. I can already tell which one is Steve's."

"Yeah, just my luck most of my kids didn't inherit any of my looks," Tony groused, "They're carbon copies of their sires."

Bucky hummed then waited expectantly.

Tony took a deep breath, "I assume you've also heard how one of my pups doesn't have a named sire."

"I heard."

"Well, the thing is, I know who the sire is," Tony looked down at his hands when he saw a glimmer of something in the Bucky's eyes. Stupid, this man was not. "You're Caleb's sire."

He really needed another option other than blurting things out.

Bucky was completely silent for so long, Tony glanced up to see if he was still there. Bucky was crying. Silent tears that ran down his face in rivulets, jaw slack and face tormented.

"Oh, honey," Tony stood and edged closer. He'd been in the man's space before, but he was still a little unsure. He loosely wrapped his arms around Bucky's shoulders and waited to see if the Alpha would accept or reject the embrace.

Bucky allowed the hug, slumping into Tony's chest and shuddering with each breath. Still no audible sobs. They sat like that for a while. It could have been minutes or even an hour. Tony didn't know. He let the Alpha cry in his arms before the tears subsided and Bucky slowly straightened up.

"I have a son?" his throat sounded horrible, strained and raspy. None of the sexy growl Tony had gotten used to. Bucky's eyes were red-rimmed and wet.

"Yes. His name is Caleb and he looks just like you. He loves fish."

"Fish?"

"I don't get it either."

Bucky laughed, a helpless cough of deep emotion. "C-Can I…" he swallowed. "Can I see him?"

Tony hesitated for only a second before he stood and offered Bucky his hand. He led the man from the living room and into the nursery where the pups were waking up from their nap. They slept pretty much to a schedule most nights. It was a relief, but Tony sometimes missed the quiet moments with his pups in the early mornings.

Tony let Bucky's hand go to reach for Caleb, sleepy grumbling and looking for food. The pup sniffed and turned towards Bucky. He gave a squeal and reached for him as if he was an old friend.

"Sit in the chair," Tony gestured to the rocking chair. Bucky sat, looking lost. Tony helped settle Caleb into Bucky's embrace. It looked awkward with Bucky trying to balance everything with one arm. But the scene was so sweet Tony didn't have any inkling to move them. He watched father and son meet for the first time and felt something in his heart settle.


	5. Maybe Mondays Aren't So Bad

**Maybe Mondays Aren't So Bad**

Bucky Barnes was an odd creature, Tony decided. After meeting Caleb, the Alpha had blossomed into a goofy, stubborn, snarky bastard. Tony could get into pointless arguments with the Alpha that could last hours. It was oddly invigorating.

Tony gifted the Alpha with a new arm as soon as it was finished, and the Alpha actually wept. Steve and Bucky tested out the arms durability in the gym and seeing Bucky with that wide smile on his face was well worth the late nights to Tony.

Pepper and Rhodey visited often still, even several weeks after the icebreaker that was Caleb meeting his sire. They kept a paranoid eye on Bucky when they visited but there was really nothing for them to complain about. Bucky was a gentleman with them both, respectful and polite. He doted on Cassandra when she was capable of visiting and generally fawned over all the pups. He was like some kind of idol come to life.

On one such visit, Rhodey had the chance to witness Tony and Bucky arguing over TV shows. He sat back with the others and watched with a look of dawning dread on his face.

"Oh, God, Goddess and the Cosmos," he groaned loud enough to catch everyone's attention, "Now there's two of you!"

Tony good naturedly poked his best friend in the ribs then ignored him in favour of winning the argument. Something about the conversation seemed to settle any of Rhodey's doubts because he stopped eyeing Bucky with a wary glare.

Pepper was a little harder to convince.

"Are you going to mate him?" she asked out of the blue while they were all sitting down for dinner. Cassandra and Happy were at home. Cassandra was rapidly approaching her due date so one of her Alphas was always with her. Tonight was Happy's turn so Pepper had elected to visit Tony and he was quickly coming to regret letting her in.

Tony almost choked on his pasta at the sudden thought of their upcoming mating ceremony. While Tony would like to have a quiet affair, with just his friends and mates, the press would never let him get away with it. They were planning an official ceremony in another month's time. The pups would be eleven months old by then and it would be a miracle if one didn't make a break for the exit when the harp started playing. If there was going to be a harp. They still had to iron out the particulars but one thing he did know, the guest list was huge and the whole shindig would be expensive and exposing. But it would be worth it in the end.

The thought of Bucky being one of his Alphas was not a new one. He'd considered adding Bucky to the Pride since he saw Caleb in the Alpha's arms. Now Pepper had just aired that explosive question for all to hear and Tony suddenly felt like a deer in headlights.

Bucky looked equally startled, but there was a hint of guilt in his eyes before he averted them, focusing on his dinner instead. Several people around the table cleared their throats and reached for the wine.

"Way to kill the mood," Tony grumbled.

Pepper shrugged, unrepentant. "It's a legitimate question. Personally, I want to know what my friend is doing with their life. I want to know that the people you, Tony, choose to let in, are not going to chew you up and spit you out like some unsavoury characters I won't mention."

Tony's mumbled of, "You just did," was drowned out by several of his Alphas demanding to know what Pepper was talking about. Tony winced and sipped his wine. Wished it was scotch. He'd never told his Alphas about his previous failed relationships. The press knew the majority of what went on so Tony had hidden behind the reasoning that if they really wanted to know, they could have found out all the sordid details online.

The frowns directed at him indicated he couldn't hide behind that weak excuse anymore. Tony sighed and took another sip of his drink before placing the wine glass down and pushing it away. He watched the dark liquid slosh in the goblet for a moment before settling and used the minor distraction to ground himself.

"I have a past," he began, "I've been with other people. I'm sure the media have delighted in regaling the world about everyone I've been with, or everyone they think I've been with."

He fiddled with his napkin. "I've really only been serious about a few people before all of you. One was a woman who shall remain nameless because it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. She was older, and I was just barely eighteen. Graduated from MIT, the whole deal. I fell for her like the honeytrap she was and when she'd stolen the information she came for, and a number of expensive gifts, she stomped on my heart and disappeared into the night."

"You're leaving out the part where she had you arrested for assault," Rhodey grumbled, "And how I convinced you to charge her for corporate espionage and defamation of character. Last I heard she was in prison again"

Tony sneered and rubbed his face. "She's dead to me. I don't care what she's up to now."

"You said there were a few people," Bruce pointed out after several moments of silence. There was a tinge of green around his jaw.

"You okay, Brucey?"

"Tell us about these people and I'll decide after."

Tony grimaced, "Fine, but this is under protest and how did we even get onto this topic?"

"It's Pepper's fault," Rhodey chimed in, "But I would have brought it up if I knew you hadn't told your mates about it. They need to know, and you need to share it."

"You sound like my shrink," Tony accused.

"I've been that and more to you over the years," Rhodey retorted, "Now, spill."

"That sounds so inviting," Tony drawled then sighed, "Fine. So, the next was a guy from a rival company. I thought we had a lot in common. Both hated our sires, both felt pressured into lives we didn't want. This was a few years after that woman, so I was more cautious. Or thought I was. We started a relationship and I thought things were going well, then he asked me to mate him."

Hisses and growls erupted as possessive Alpha pheromones clotted the air. Rhodey and Pepper shifted uncomfortably but strangely, Bucky didn't. He had released his own possessive snarl and looked as startled by the fact as Tony felt. Setting aside the behaviour for the moment, he continued, "We started planning our ceremony and that was when things started going downhill."

He took a deep breath, taking comfort in the scents around the room, "It started small at first. He would tell me what to do while we were out, like what I should eat or drink. He would tell me what to wear. How to act. He would inform me of what I should do with my company. When I argued with him, he would be disdainful and aggressive. He would act hurt like I was the one being unreasonable, and I fell for it every time."

He braced himself, "Then he started hitting me."

As expected, his Alphas all rose up, loud aggressive snarls rent the air. Pepper and Rhodey retreated quickly. Bruce looked like he was struggling with the Hulk and Tony hurried to comfort him. "Easy, big guy, no smashing tonight."

"Where. Is. He?" Bruce rasped through gritted teeth. Green eyes locked on Tony's as muscles rippled unnaturally under his skin.

"He's dead." That seemed to mollify Bruce somewhat but not completely. The scientist pulled Tony close and tucked him into his heaving chest. Tony felt Bruce sniffing his hair as arms wound around his body in a tight embrace.

"I put up with it longer than I should have," Tony mumbled, "But eventually I started listening to Rhodey. Pepper wasn't around much back then. She was new as my assistant and not a friend yet."

"If I had known I would have kicked his ass," Pepper snapped from near the doorway.

"And I would have bought you a pair of steel-toed stilettos to do it," Natasha grumbled.

"I wish we'd been around then," Clint spat, "I would have loved shooting him somewhere unpleasant. An Alpha who abuses an Omega is not a person who needs to breath."

Tony hummed in appreciation and nuzzled into Bruce's chest. It felt nice to be protected. For so long he'd been on his own and he'd told himself he preferred it that way. But now, having his mates around him. Protecting and caring for him, letting them care for them. It was something he didn't realise he'd been missing and couldn't imagine living without.

"You guys are awesome," Tony muttered, unable to hide the waver in his voice. He was quickly surrounded by the comforting scents of his mates and he allowed himself this moment of peace.

"You still haven't told us if you're going to mate Bucky Barnes."

 ***** Page Break *****

After airing all his dirty secrets and leaving himself vulnerable, Tony was pleased to be met with understanding and care, but none of that mushy smothering stuff his Alphas had a habit of doing. He would rather leave that part of his past way behind him. He'd come such a long way since the distrust all his former relationships had encouraged in him. He knew he was safe with his Alphas.

The only question was, should he let another Alpha in?

Tony broached the subject as they were settling into bed for the night. "So, does anyone want to talk about the elephant in the room?"

Everyone froze for a second, which was a very odd sight that almost made Tony giggle. If he hadn't felt so nervous, he might have teased them about it.

"Is there an elephant?" Thor looked around, trying and failing, to look genuinely confused.

"Yeah, you don't fool me, Thor. You binge watch TV more than Clint, so I know you understand the reference," Tony declared. Thor shrugged, a tinge of red on his cheeks.

"What do you think, Tony?" Steve asked, voice neutral.

"I asked you first."

Steve sighed. "I…don't know. I think I'm too biased about him."

Tony hummed. "You discussed it back when you were younger, didn't you?" The widening eyes on the super-soldier indicated he'd guessed right. Tony chuckled, "Score one for the eternal romance fans."

"Tony…" Steve looked unsure how he was going to continue.

"So, Steve's all for Bucky joining us, what do you guys think?" Tony looked around the room at the faces trying to avoid his eye. "Seriously?"

T'Challa sighed. "I admit, he is an interesting person. I greatly enjoy his company and I find him attractive. But I am not sure he is ready for a bond."

"So, we'll ask him," Clint piped up, "And there's no rule saying we can't add him to the Pride later. People do it all the time."

"I like him," Bruce stated, surprising everyone with the abrupt statement. "Aside from Steve and Thor, he's the only one I won't break when I Hulk out."

"How does the Hulk feel about him?" Tony asked curiously.

Bruce tipped his head to the side with a thoughtful expression on his face. "He seems to like Bucky. Thinks that metal arm will be good for smashing things."

Tony chortled, "Hulk's got a crush."

Bruce rolled his eyes but didn't deny it.

"I think we need to hear from Tony, now," Natasha stated quietly, "After all, you're the one he's inadvertently hurt in the past."

Tony groaned, "Stop psychoanalysing me."

Natasha just arched a brow and waited. Everyone waited.

Tony rubbed his face. "Fine. I think he's a logical choice to add to the group. He's Caleb's father, he gets along well with everyone he's certainly easy on the eyes. He's nice and considerate…"

"But he also killed your parents," Thor murmured.

Tony swallowed and crossed his arms over his chest looking down at his bare feet.

"It doesn't make you a bad person to not want to spend the rest of your life with him," Thor continued, "As I understand it, it makes you human."

With those words of wisdom still ringing in his head the following morning, Tony found himself wandering down to Bucky's room. The Alpha still chose to live on the ground floor and Tony didn't want to pressure him into moving. Bucky could still be skittish and lone-wolf at times. He thought it best to give the Alpha some space.

This encounter though, promised to be awkward and possibly heartbreaking.

He found Bucky reading in his favourite chair positioned in his living room. He looked up and smiled when Tony entered, looking every bit like an Alpha welcoming his Omega home.

"Hey, Bucky," Tony began as he neared. He stopped, unsure how to continue.

"Is this about what your friend mentioned yesterday?" Bucky asked.

Tony winced but nodded.

Bucky sighed and closed his book carefully. The new arm worked seamlessly even with the new upgrade that made it appear like human flesh along the forearm and upper arm. The joints were still a bother but slowly Bucky was becoming less self-conscious about his arm. Tony hoped one day Bucky could walk about in a tank top and not have to worry about his arm looking any different to a flesh and bone limb.

"Are you here to ask me to join the Pride or inform me that it'll never happen?" Bucky asked, sounding curious.

Tony shrugged, "I was actually going to ask how you feel about it at all. Some people don't like the idea of being bound so completely to another person, let alone a group of them."

Bucky frowned, looking thoughtful. He pursed his lips and tapped his fingers against the cover of the book. Tony waited, watching those fingers as Bucky gathered his words.

"Overall, I like the idea," Bucky finally said, he stared down at his book instead of at Tony, "I've always been possessive and the thought of being bound to someone still makes me happy but…"

"But…?" Tony prompted when it seemed as if Bucky wasn't going to continue.

Bucky sighed, "But I'm just now starting to learn how to live as a person. I'm just starting to figure out who I am on my own and as much as I like the idea of joining in with your Pride, I don't think I'm ready."

Tony huffed in surprise. He hadn't thought about it like that. Of course, Bucky wasn't ready, he'd been a person for less than a year. Committing to something like a forever mating at this stage would be problematic at best and tragic at worst.

"I understand," Tony murmured, making sure Bucky met his eyes, "I really do. You need to know who you are first before you can share that person."

Bucky nodded.

"There's no reason you can't join the Pride later if you ever think you're ready," Tony pointed out, "In the meantime, I want you to stay here. I want you to be a part of Caleb's life, but it's up to you."

Bucky looked relieved. "Thank you, Tony. I think I want to stay here for a while. I feel like I need a home right now."

Tony hummed his agreement and moved forward to fold the Alpha into a hug. Bucky moved too and it was possibly the sweetest hug Tony had ever experienced. There was something like relief and anticipation between them and it felt like a promise for tomorrow.

 ***** Page Break *****

When Tony found out his mating ceremony was going to happen on a Monday, he threw a fit. He wasn't proud of it, but ever since that one very memorable Monday when he had been taken to a wannabe supervillain's hidden lair, he'd been leery of the day. He knew it was irrational to hate a day of the week, but he couldn't help feeling a little sick whenever JARVIS announced it was a Monday.

He locked himself in his lab and ignored the pleas of his courting Alphas to join them for lunch. He tinkered around with a bunch of wires and metals and in the end made a…thing. It was roundish with wires sticking out in two places and rainbow coloured putty encasing the exterior. When he dropped it, the thing lit up and flashed all kinds of colours. He stared at it in confusion because…what?

"JARVIS?" he asked his AI, staring at the flashing thing, "How long have I been down here?"

 _'_ _Six hours and forty-two minutes, Sir'._

"Huh."

Shaking himself, he placed the thing on the workbench and hurried to the door. He looked back at the thing, still flashing merrily, and had the odd feeling it was watching him.

"I didn't give it a brain, did I, J?"

 _'_ _No, Sir, I don't believe so.'_

Tony sighed in relief. "Give it to DUM-E to play with."

 _'_ _As you wish, Sir.'_

Tony trudged out into the communal floor and stopped dead at his mates all lounging around the room. They frowned at him, disapproval and disappointment with no small amount of concern. Tony swallowed the whine he felt in his throat because he knew it was his fault.

"So," he cleared his throat and rocked on his heels, "I may have overreacted."

"May have?" Clint challenged.

Tony sighed, "I know I did," he looked down at his hands then quickly hid them in his pocket when he saw the stain left from the rainbow putty. He looked back up and met their eyes, one by one, "I'm sorry."

Steve grumbled a sigh but stood and strode forward. He pulled Tony into a rough hug, "Silly Omega."

Tony mumbled unintelligently and buried his face in Steve's shoulder.

One by one, his courting Alphas approached and gave him a punishing embrace. They weren't happy with how he'd handled things and he knew he was overreacting because of the upcoming ceremony. It didn't make his pride any easier to swallow when he admitted this was all his fault.

Tony slept alone that night while his Alphas all bunked together. They would sleep like that until the mating ceremony, but it felt like they were punishing him, so he didn't sleep a wink. Eventually he stumbled out to the living room and curled up on the couch half watching the cartoon channel to try and relax. He switched it to a zombie movie when the cartoons just irritated him.

By morning he was tired and grumpy, but he bit his tongue and got down to business. They didn't have a lot of time to organise everything and Pepper was officially unable to help with Cassandra mere days from her due date. That left it up to Tony to be a big boy and get everything sorted.

They were having the wedding at a botanical garden location funded by the Maria Stark Foundation. Tony felt it was one way his mother could be there in spirit. It would be beautiful with all the flowers and plenty of space for the guests.

"What are we all wearing?" Clint asked over breakfast, "Should we all go black tie? Mix it up with some colour? I call a purple suit if we do that."

Tony made a face at the purple suit idea but mixing in some colour to their outfits wasn't a bad idea. Traditionally, the Omegas of the pairing wore white or cream to demonstrate their purity and then they wove ribbons of pink and blue into their hair or their clothes to represent their children, either present or future. The Alphas wore black suits or dresses with red and navy-blue highlights to demonstrate virility and stability.

"I don't want to wear black," Natasha stated, wrinkling her nose, "I'll feel like I'm at work, or going to a funeral."

"Well, we can't have that," Clint responded, "What's the colour scheme for the Omega's party, Tony?"

"At this stage, it might just be Rhodey standing in my party," Tony shrugged, then pouted, "He won't let me dress him up in red and gold."

Thor chuckled, "I will gladly wear red and gold for you, dear Anthony."

"Only because those are your colours, too," Tony retorted. Thor gave a shrug and an unconcerned grin. "Are your parents coming?"

"Aye, they and my brother will arrive on the day." Thor looked around at everyone, but his gaze lingered on Clint, "If that is alright with everyone?"

Clint looked up and his smile was almost real, "Of course it is. They're you're family."

Clint and Loki would likely never be friends, but distance might help to ease the archer's mistrust of the trickster.

"My folks aren't coming," Bruce announced, he grimaced, "I called them the day we announced to the public we were courting. Soon as they heard my voice they hung up."

Tony reached over and took his mate's hand. Bruce squeezed back in appreciation.

"Obviously Nat and I don't have any family either," Clint pointed out. He didn't mention the lack of family for Tony, Steve, or even Bucky who was helping to plan the ceremony as part of the Alpha's party. "How about you, your highness?"

"My mother and sister will be in attendance," T'Challa announced, "My mother has asked to arrive a few days earlier, so she can meet you all."

"Sure thing, kitty cat," Tony agreed, "I'm looking forward to meeting your mother. I bet she's terrifying."

T'Challa nodded, a fond smile on his face. "She is fierce."

"Let's hope she's never read the paper," Tony declared with a self-deprecating smile, "She might not like her only son marrying the Merchant of Death."

Mumbles and growls erupted, and Tony jumped, a little startled. He looked at all the frowning faces then looked down, wishing he'd kept his mouth shut.

"My mother will love you," T'Challa murmured, reaching over and tugging Tony into his lap.

"How do you know?" Tony mumbled into the prince's shirt.

"Because my mother wants me to be happy and loved," T'Challa murmured, pressing a kiss to Tony's head, "And I am both very happy and very loved here with you."

 _Damn it, here come the waterworks_. Tony snuggled into his Alpha's arms and closed his eyes.

"Is that a yes or a no on the purple suit?"

 ***** Page Break *****

JARVIS woke them up at 3 in the morning to announce they had a video call from Pepper.

Tony stumbled and staggered his way to the tablet to see Pepper, who looked even sleepier than Tony felt. He felt his Alphas stumbling out of their own room and assembling around him.

"They're both girls," Pepper whispered, smiling and crying, "Amelia and Emily Swann."

"Oh, my God, Goddess and the Cosmos," Tony whispered in awe. Pepper grinned, prideful Alpha and teary new parent all rolled into one. She shifted the angle of the video and Pepper's face was replaced by the sight of an exhausted looking Cassandra holding two bundles in her arms, one pink the other light purple.

Tony was suddenly reminded about how small his own pups had been when he first saw them. Amelia and Emily looked like two tiny little angels, sleeping with their mother.

"Which one is which?" Clint asked, sticking his head around Tony's to get a better view, "They're so cute!"

"Not too loud, they can hear you," Happy announced, coming into shot as he tugged the blanket down a little from the pup wrapped in pink, "This is Amelia, that red hair is from Pepper." The pup in the purple blanket stretched and grimaced as Happy gently showed off her face, "And this is Emily. No hair on her head yet."

"Well done, Cassandra," Tony breathed.

"Thanks, Tony," Cassandra murmured, "Sorry for waking you all up."

"I'm so glad you did," Steve murmured, excitement clear in his voice.

Pepper's face appeared in the screen again, "We're going to hang up now and try to get some rest before they wake up, "We'll contact you all in the next couple of days for a visit."

"Congratulations, Pepper," Tony grinned. The screen went dark and he leant back in his chair with a yawn.

"Were our pups that tiny?" T'Challa asked in awe.

Tony nodded, "Even Storm was small at that age." He frowned, "They're so big now."

"Aww, are you feeling empty nest syndrome already?" Natasha teased.

Tony growled playfully, "Maybe I am. What are you going to do about it?"

"Well, we can practice the fun parts," Clint commented, leering down at Tony.

"What did you have in mind?" Tony asked coyly. Clint leant down and whispered exactly what he was planning, and Tony blushed. He cleared his throat as he stood and grabbed two of his Alphas by the wrists, knowing the others would follow.

 ***** Page Break *****

"It's not too late to back out," Rhodey murmured in Tony's ear, so close only the two of them could hear his words.

Tony batted him away for tickling his ear, rubbing the offended lobe and giving Rhodey a dark look. "Aren't you meant to save that for the mating ceremony?"

Rhodey shrugged, "I'm an equal opportunist. You're about to meet one of the in-laws. Like I said, it's not too late to fake a case of food poisoning and avoid T'Challa's mother."

 _Is it bad that I'm actually considering it?_

Tony shook his head, "Tempting as that may be, I'm a big boy and I can say 'hi' to one my future mothers-in-law."

 _'_ _Sir, the Wakandan jet has landed'._

"Oh, God, Goddess and the Cosmos," Tony whimpered, suddenly and inextricably terrified, "I'm gonna be sick for real."

"Relax," Bruce suddenly appeared at his side, rubbing Tony's back and watching him with shrewd eyes, "You're fine, Tony."

Tony whined, trying to fight the urge to run as far as he could. Another state, another city, hell even a different floor.

All but T'Challa and Bucky were on the communal floor, waiting for T'Challa's mother and sister to be escorted up. No doubt they would bring some of those fierce warrior women with them. Tony swallowed and imagined the queen ordering him skewered on one of those spears…

"Baby, if it's too much, we can tell Shuri and Ramonda that you're ill and will join us later," Steve murmured.

Tony shook his head though inside he was miserably wishing he could do just that. "No, I need to meet them both and…hope they like me better than Shuri did the first time we met."

Natasha turned Tony's face towards her and stared into his eyes. Whatever she saw made her smile and she patted his cheek, muttering something in Russian he hoped wasn't an insult.

Before Tony could ask, however, the doors to the elevator slid open and T'Challa led the way into the room before stepping aside to let an older but no less intimidating version of Shuri into the room. Absent were the fierce guards from the previous official meeting with Wakandan royalty, back when T'Challa was informed of his paternity.

The woman who could only be Ramonda, widow of T'Chaka and current ruler of Wakanda, stared around at the small group waiting in the living room. Though she had lines of age and grief etched into her face and a touch of silver in her dark hair, she was no less beautiful than her children and she carried herself with the same pride and determination as her son.

"You must be Anthony Stark," those dark eyes fixed onto Tony and the supple lips did not smile in greeting, making Tony's stomach squirm with unease.

"I am," once again Tony wasn't sure if he should ask her to call him Tony.

"I am Ramonda, Queen of Wakanda," the woman announced. She glanced at her son then back to Tony, "You are to mate with my son."

"Yes." Inwardly he winced at how eloquent he was acting. Monosyllable answers belonged with cranky teenagers, not a confident Omega billionaire with the world at his feet.

Ramonda pursed her lips then abruptly they tilted into a warm smile, coupled with a bubble of laughter that startled Tony. "Ah, I have intimidated you. Who knew all these years I would still be scary?"

"You will always be terrifying, mother," T'Challa noted fondly, "Now, will you please reassure my beloved that you do not mean to have him killed in his sleep."

Ramonda gave an elegant toss of her head, "You are no fun." She smiled at Tony, "It is nice to finally meet you. My son has told me many stories of you and my grandbabies."

Tony returned the smile, still a little unsure. She had said _babies_ , plural, counting not just Matthew but the other pups as well. A warm feeling flooded his veins at the thought of his pups being loved as a unit, not based on who their sire was.

Ramonda strode closer, opening her arms and embracing Tony in a warm hug that smelt of cooking spice and flowers. An odd yet comforting combination. Tony found himself wrapping his arms around the woman and realised belatedly that she was an Alpha like both of her children. Had T'Chaka been an Omega or had they been a rare Alpha/Alpha pairing?

Pulling back, Ramonda greeted the other Alphas in the room and Tony felt the tension easing out of everyone. He greeted Shuri who looked even more regal than before. Training to be the queen suited her. They all sat down to lunch at the large special-ordered table and the conversation flowed easily.

"When will I get to meet my grandbabies?" Ramonda asked Tony, who was sitting beside her, with T'Challa on her other side.

"After lunch we can go to the nursery and meet them," Tony offered.

"That would be lovely."

Shuri spoke up from across the table, between Clint and Natasha, "How goes the wedding plans? I assume you have everything organised by now?"

Tony groaned, "Yes, we finally have everything settled. On Monday we'll be officially mated."

"And I get to wear a purple suit," Clint proclaimed proudly. Tony saw the glint in his eye and recognised his Alpha was testing the waters. He'd done the same in Asgard around Odin and Frigga, but never Loki.

Ramonda tilted her head, "Purple? How interesting. Is that traditional over here now or are you breaking into a new fashion?"

Clint blinked twice rapidly then grinned, "I just love purple. It's not traditional over here. Tradition would see me wearing black and red or black and blue. But we're going to surprise everyone with our colour schemes."

Ramonda looked pleased, "I like someone who is not afraid to stand up and try new things."

Clint blushed and shoved a spoonful of potato salad into his mouth.

"Are your parents going to be there?" Shuri asked Natasha.

Tony froze as did everyone at the table. The question had no underlying benevolence to it. Shuri was simply curious and she had no way to know that the Black Widow was without any blood relatives to speak of. At least none she knew or wanted to acknowledge.

"I have no parents." Natasha replied calmly without looking up from her lunch. She had barely skipped a beat.

Shuri looked startled then embarrassed, "Oh," she paused, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"Only Thor and T'Challa have family," Clint added, picking at his leftovers, "Well, family that matters, anyway."

"You're forgetting Rhodey, Pepper, Happy, Cassandra and the twins," Tony pointed out.

"And Bucky," Steve added, "They're our family. The kind that matters."

Silence ensued but it wasn't an awkward one, just contemplative. Tony finished his meal and realised the others were following suit. He smiled at Ramonda, "Would you like to meet your grandkids?"

The pups were waking from their naps and beginning to fuss. Not hungry but eager to move. Tony and his Alphas deposited them all on the floor and joined them in playtime. Even Ramonda and Shuri got down on their knees and played with the pups.

"You are very blessed, Anthony," Ramonda laughed as Storm played with her hair and Matthew played with a toy car on her lap.

"Call me Tony," he asked, smiling when she nodded, "And yes, I really am."

 ***** Page Break *****

"We are gathered here today…"

Tony loved Pepper like the sister he never had and respected her decisions as a cunning businesswoman. He would walk through fire for her and knew she would do the same because she was that kind of person.

But in this case, he had to wonder what she was thinking. Where had she found this woman? The woman officiating the ceremony, for all the friends, family and press in attendance, as well as the millions of people who were viewing live or would watch later, was a lovely woman. Tony had met her before the ceremony and liked her flair. She was a flavoursome Alpha female with her own large Pride, which was why Pepper had recommended her when Tony and his Alphas were looking for an officiate.

So why was this taking so long now? It felt like he'd been standing at the altar for hours. He was sure that it had been at least two. The woman was speaking in her musical voice, but Tony couldn't understand a word. What was taking so long?

He glanced to his side and admired his Alphas. Bruce looked handsome in a grey suit, complementing his complexion. Steve had, naturally, gone in traditional black, looking handsome and suave. Clint had gotten his wish and was decked out in a lush, dark purple suit next to Natasha in a gorgeous silver dress that really made her vibrant hair stand out.

T'Challa meanwhile had dressed in traditional Wakandan formal wear that Tony didn't know how to name. All he knew was that it was black and gold and fit the prince just right. Thor too had worn typical Asgardian attire which looked a lot like his battle gear. Asgardians were a warrior race so Tony figured it probably was. That red cape fluttering in the breeze was seriously eye-catching.

Tony himself wore a dark blue suit while wishing he could have worn his Iron Man armour. Or at least a suit in those colours. However, Pepper had insisted the midnight blue suit really brought out his eyes or something and he'd been too weak to argue with her.

While their choice of coloured outfits was certainly of interest, Tony suspected the other colours were more intriguing. Tony, Steve Clint and Bruce all wore ties of striped pink and light blue. Natasha wore a necklace of pink diamonds and sapphires. T'Challa and Thor had elected for wrist cuffs on the outside of their outfits, one in pink the other blue. Sown into all the ties and the cuffs were the names of their pups, while Natasha's necklace had tiny, golden, letters strung between the jewels spelling out the names of their offspring. It wasn't obvious, but Tony knew that someone would notice and comment on the unique symbolism for their children.

"Do you have the rings?"

Tony barely kept from jumping when the officiate asked Rhodey a question. Tony's best friend stepped forward with a small collection of rings, Bucky did the same, both of them beaming. They were all a simple design, the infinity symbol of gold and silver rings. Tony had wanted their names written on the inside but then realised that Bucky could join them in the future and it wouldn't be fair.

One of his Alphas slipped his ring on the correct finger and he did the same to one of his Alphas. He thought it might have been Bruce but he wasn't sure of anything anymore. Hadn't they just started this ceremony?

"You may now embrace as a soul bound Pride."

Tony wrapped his arms around the slim waist of Natasha and almost wanted to cry. He felt arms hugging and touching him and he looked at all his Alphas. Why were they blurry?

Cacophonous applause erupted behind him and he joined his Alphas in looking out at the crowd. In the first row sat Pepper, Happy and Cassandra, trying to applaud around the newborn babes in their arms. Sam sat beside them and waved, clapping and whistling loudly.

Tony's pups were settled in between their grandparents, Aunties and Uncles. Shuri and Ramonda on one side, and Odin, Frigga and Loki on the other. The royals all beamed, even Loki looked genuinely happy and was standing on his seat clapping madly.

Behind them sat – or rather stood – the guards from Wakanda, actually smiling for once, and several of Thor's friends from Asgard. Tony recognised Heimdall and Sif, but he didn't know who was who in the proclaimed Warriors Three. They were competing with everyone else for the loudest congratulants.

"We finally did it." Steve breathed beside him, gazing down with adoration into Tony's eyes.

Tony could only nod and smile, his throat was clogged with emotions and feelings making him feel all soft and squishy.

Later would come the bites, this was the official ceremony to make it all official. The bites were private and Tony knew the next time the press took his photo, there would be a lovely ringed scar on his neck to proclaim Tony Stark was once and for all, a happily married Omega.


	6. After The Night

**After The Night**

The pups were now officially a year old. Tony had decided that instead of the days they were delivered, the day that Tony took them away from Ross' labs would be their birthday. After all, Tony was their mother and it was the first day he saw them, so it was his right. Besides, he did not want to remember the days before he got there, while the pups were still in the hands of Ross.

Tony had a party with all the pups' relatives returning just a month after the bonding ceremony. It wasn't a particularly large affair but apparently Asgardians couldn't do anything quietly. They arrived with a bang and carried on the noise level throughout the party.

Cassandra locked herself away from the noise with her pups after Tony's pups had each received their presents and cake.

"It is hard to believe that we are here," Ramonda commented to Tony as they lingered at the edge of the chaos. The ten pups were struggling through wrapping paper and toys under the eyes of vigilant adults. Loki was entertaining Storm with magic, Shuri was on the ground playing with plushies and the Warriors Three were being used as a jungle gym.

"I know," Tony murmured, "A year ago I would have said kids were far in the future, if at all. I was getting on in years and thought by the time I was ready, or we got around to trying, that I would be too old. People were already speculating about who the company would go to if I died since I didn't have an heir. It was always going to go to Pepper."

"Now that you have pups, will you still hand over your company to your sister?" Ramonda asked. Tony didn't bother saying that Pepper wasn't his sister. The first time he'd explained that Pepper wasn't his blood, Ramonda had given him a strange look and stated that blood meant little in the ways of love.

Tony was really loving her as a mother-in-law. Between her and Frigga, he'd really lucked out.

"For now, we're a unit, dealing with certain parts of the company together, but eventually, I'll have to step down," Tony replied. He and his Alphas had all agreed to tell their new family circle about the apples of Idunn. They all knew that the Pride would outlive them all but Frigga had offered to let them come to Asgard and attempt to gain an apple for themselves.

Ramonda had politely refused. She missed her husband and didn't want to linger in the world without him. Shuri too had said no, declaring she would only visit Idunn if her future mate or mates all agreed with extending their lives. It was far in the future for her.

Rhodey and Sam were discussing it. They were also officially courting which thrilled Tony to no end. Despite their rocky start, he could count Sam as one of his closest friends now. He was also a welcome Omega change from all the Alphas that seemed to outnumber him.

Pepper, Happy and Cassandra were willing but only when their pups were of age to try as well. If the pups did not receive an apple, the Pride was happy to live out a normal life span.

As much as Tony wanted to beg them all to live forever, he knew he couldn't. It was their choice and while the thought of one day losing them hurt like hell, it wasn't his decision to make.

"What are we chatting about?" Steve wandered over, nursing a glass of orange juice in a champagne flute. Tony had thought it fitting to serve orange juice since it was the first time he'd done when Steve, Clint and Natasha had tracked him down to Josie's cabin.

The thought of the elderly Omega woman had Tony feeling all misty again. Josie had been invited to the party and she'd arrived with her usual lack of fanfare. She was currently holding chatting with Frigga and the pair seemed to be hitting it off. Tony owed that woman more than he could ever repay.

"Just things," Tony replied casually, draping an arm over his mate's waist, "Hello, my husband, you haven't given me a kiss this hour."

"Well, we can't have that," Steve pulled him into a sizzling kiss and when they both came up for air, Ramonda had made herself scarce. "I think we scared her off."

Tony snuggled into that broad chest in front of him and watched his pups laughing and playing. Who would have thought that a mere year could change everything so much?

"Here's hoping next year is a lot less dramatic," Steve stated suddenly, as if reading his mind, "I wouldn't trade the outcome for the world, but I could do without some of the drama."

Tony chuckled and patted his mate's back. "Honey, there's always going to be drama. I'm Tony Stark."

 ***** Page Break *****

Things had been quiet lately. Everyone had returned to their homes and the Avengers Pride were living in mated bliss. Their ever-growing pups were suitably mobile and energetic. The villains of the world seemed to have taken a break so the Avengers weren't needed.

The only shadow on their horizon was the trial of former General Thaddeus Ross.

"I'm not going," Tony stated when it was announced to the public when the trial would he held. "It feels like I'm condoning his work by showing up there."

The others might not understand but they accepted Tony's decision. The pups were in bed so they had all convened to watch the press release concerning the despicable Alpha.

"I'll go," Natasha stated, Clint nodding along with her in solidarity, "I need that closure, of seeing for myself what happens to him."

"He's facing charges of treason, murder, biological theft and blackmail to name but a few," Bruce pointed out, "He's not getting out of prison. In fact, many people are lobbying for the death penalty."

It was true. Many people were urging the judge to allow the immediate execution of Ross. Others were asking if Tony would be allowed to do the honours since he was the most recent and high-profile victim of the former General's plans. An Omega rage would take care of everything.

"In that case, I need to be there to see it gets done," Natasha stated with an unconcerned air. Her posture and tone saying louder than words that she was all business.

"I think what she means to say is that SHIELD might have some use for Ross," Bucky piped up. He was the only non-Pride member still in residence at the compound. He lived in his usual suite and had begun to add personal touches as it became clear he wouldn't wear out his welcome.

Natasha neither confirmed nor denied Bucky's statement which probably said more than actual words ever could.

Tony screwed up his nose, "Just remind Fury what happened with Hydra."

Everyone grimaced at the uncomfortable reminder about how Hydra had infiltrated SHIELD via the select few Hydra drones who had been allowed to live and collaborate with the organisation.

"He's well aware," Natasha replied tersely.

They settled into silence as the news story blared on.

"I wish he was gone already," Tony suddenly said, glaring at the picture of Ross before he was taken into custody. From the few images he'd seen of the man since, Ross had lost weight and pride, affecting a slumped posture but no sign of remorse on his face.

"I do too," T'Challa growled, "It sickens me to think of what he could have done with my blood. With my son. Or what he could have done with my sister's blood, my mother's or father's."

Tony shivered and prayed to whatever deity might listen that Ross or his cohorts hadn't thought that far ahead, to make more pups using the stolen samples. He knew Ross hadn't used his sample except to create the ten pups slumbering in the nursery. But, as evidenced by his kidnapping and Sophia Reynold's custody attempt, Ross had not been working alone.

It made him sick to think there might be more pups out there, belonging to his Alphas, in the hands of those who would use them.

"I hope Fury gets to do that interrogation," Clint stated, sounding vicious, "He's a real nasty son of a bitch when he's ticked and this whole mess has really gotten under his skin."

"Coulson too," Natasha remarked, looking cold and calculating as she tapped a finger to her lips, "They might both go in on this one."

The two spies shared a look of reptilian satisfaction that gave Tony the creeps.

"I won't go either," Bruce stated, "I think seeing Ross in person might cause the Other Guy to make an appearance and nobody wants that."

"Maybe Hulk can play with what's left after SHIELD has chewed him up and spat him out," Tony suggested dryly.

Bruce made a face, "I think it's best for both of us if we never see the man again. I've spent enough of my life dreading seeing his face, I don't want to waste another moment on him."

"Well, you can join me in watching the trial," Tony said, hugging his tense mate, "We can make popcorn and bet on what the lawyers are going to say."

Bruce looked thoughtful, "It's weird how good that sounds."

"I will remain here as well," Thor declared, "I fear my temper may get the best of me as well and I don't want it used as an excuse to delay further."

Ross' lawyers had used every trick in the book to try and get the trial postponed, cancelled or resolved. They were still trying to spin how 'good' and 'patriotic' Ross was. It made Steve want to boycott his uniform in protest. Especially when some people came out of the woodwork proclaiming to be on Ross' side and preaching his cause.

 _Some people are just stupid._

"I am attending the trial to represent Wakanda," T'Challa rumbled, "My mother and sister will be watching the trial as well. We all want to see this man pay."

 ***** Page Break *****

The trial began on an ordinary innocent Thursday. A warm, lovely day outside, with the great, big media circus inside the courtroom.

Tony sat beside Bruce and Thor waiting for the trial to begin. None of the press was allowed inside the actual courtroom. A controlled release of footage would be aired later in the day for the public, but for Tony and his mates, a special camera had been set up by a certain spy so that they could watch in real time.

Tony watched his mates take their seats. Watched the judge and council convene. The lawyers declare themselves. Various politicians and other people of power were in attendance but for once the spotlight wasn't on them. It was on the accused as he was escorted into the cage set up in the corner of the room for him.

Ross was dressed in a white uniform, shackles cuffed to his wrists, ankles and waist. His typical moustache and military cut were gone, replaced by a shaggy grey mop on his head and no facial hair to speak of. The look on his gaunt face was one of stern coldness. He knew he was in deep shit, but he was a proud and powerful man, he wasn't going to be meek and cowed by chains. Still, seeing him in a cage like an animal eased something in Tony's chest.

"I like him in a cage," Bruce muttered, "It seems fitting, considering how long he spent trying to shove me into one."

Tony squeezed his mate's hand and Bruce squeezed back then didn't let go.

What followed was a vicious portrayal of a madman countered by Ross' lawyers proclaiming a patriot with a warrior heart, using those exact words. Even Thor got a chuckle out of that statement.

The council convened to judge Ross – since he was too high profile to have a regular judge and jury – asked the former general pointed questions which he was forced to answer. Everything from his private life to his career in the military. The tight look on Ross' face said he didn't want to be answering at all, but it had been made clear that a refusal to answer even one question, would men an immediate conclusion of charges. Meaning Ross would be found guilty straight away.

In a daze, Tony watched and listened to the man's reasons for what he had done. He recoiled in horror when he learnt his pups were not the first to have been created, just the first to have lived.

Bruce stalked out of the room after that, no doubt heading to the Hulk room to beat out some rage.

Tony wanted to hug his pups but he didn't want them in the same room as the TV showing Ross' face so they were being watched by Bucky. He felt dirty just listening to the man.

Outside a storm rumbled, angry thunder taking away the lovely sunlight. Tony blindly reached over and took Thor's hand where it was clenched against his thigh. Without breaking eye contact with the screen, they clutched hands in a punishing grip.

The interrogation went for hours. People grew restless and they stopped for a break, but the camera never stopped recording. Tony wondered if Fury and Coulson were watching the same feed.

Because of the nature of the crimes committed, not to mention the high profile media presence, the trial was set to last all day and sentencing would conclude after twelve hours of questions and statements. Tony was torn between feeling it was too long and not enough time to come to the right conclusion.

In the end, despite the trauma, the lead up, the drama, and the high stakes, the conclusion of the trial was remarkable anticlimactic.

Guilty.

Unequivocally, absolutely, positively, one hundred percent guilty.

Ross was officially sentenced to life in prison, no chance for parole, and with the death penalty hanging over his head as a possibility if he misbehaved.

Unofficially, SHIELD would be taking him into custody to pluck every single bit of knowledge out of his head. Just like his cohorts and minions. By the time SHIELD was done, he would be a mere husk, a nothing. He would fade into obscurity and his only legacy would be whatever information Fury and Coulson managed to get from him.

"It's almost not enough," Tony muttered, feeling drained despite having done nothing all day but sit and watch the trial. Despite holding to his original idea and making popcorn, the bowl sat untouched on the coffee table, old and stale after all these hours.

"Aye, I don't think it will ever truly be enough," Thor agreed, "But now he is out of the way, we never have to see him again, or deal with him. We can forget and move on."

Tony nodded his head even though he had the cynical feeling that it wasn't over. It was never that easy.

 ***** Page Break *****

It took nearly a month for the headlines concerning Ross to die down. It seemed like every time he started to fade, someone piped up about it again and interest was reinvigorated. However, thirty days after Ross had disappeared into the bowels of SHIELD, the news outlets had moved on to bigger and better things.

Like the Avengers first mission together.

When the alarm was raised Tony had a moment of indecision. Part of him was saying this was his job, to protect people, to stop the bad guys. Another part was saying it was his duty to stay with his pups.

"I'll stay with them," Bucky declared. "They need the Avengers. I'm just a civilian."

Bucky would never be _just_ anything, but he had a point. Then, to make things even weirder, Coulson showed up. They'd seen more of him in the past month than in the past year.

"I'll help," was Coulson's only reply and the Avengers didn't have time to question him further. With JARVIS watching everyone, Bucky and Coulson watching the pups and the Avengers heading out to save the day, it was just like old times.

Except for that nervous feeling in Tony's belly at being away from his pups.

It was surprisingly easy to fall back into old routines. Tony suited up in the armour, glad he still fit. He hadn't been working out as usual these past months, so he wasn't sure he was physically capable of doing everything he had before. He could probably thank Idunn's apple for his slim waistline.

The Avengers headed out on their first mission to San Francisco where some nutjob had made an army of sentient grass.

"Why grass?" Clint asked, "I mean, come on, if you're going to make an army at least make it something cool."

"If he was into plants he could have chosen nightshade," Natasha pointed out, "Or any number of poisonous plants. Instead he chosen ordinary, common grass. Like blades of grass from a garden."

"Garden variety grass," Clint snickered.

Steve looked pained when trying to explain that, regardless, they still had to defeat the villain and get rid of the army of grass.

"Can't we just set them on fire?" Thor asked, "Plants burn, yes?"

"They do, and so too do these," T'Challa showed them all a video of some locals setting fire to a small contingent of grass trying to climb their mailbox. The smoking foliage ran around in circles before falling down and shrivelling up into nothing.

"And here I thought the giant blob of jelly with a face was weird," Clint remarked, he turned to Tony, "You okay? You're pretty quiet."

Tony shrugged inside his armour, "I'm fine."

Steve patted his knee, "The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can go home."

The plan went smoothly, finding and locating the grass was easy. They didn't break off into small groups but clung together in large masses. They burnt quickly and quietly. What their real purpose might be remained unknown even after they caught the crackpot who created them.

The kid was just experimenting with some ooze he'd found at the local tip. He'd placed a healthy dollop on a blade of grass to see what would happen and rather quickly found himself overrun by grass trying to attack him.

SHIELD swooped in and confiscated the ooze, gave the boy a firm talking to and then disappear like mist. The Avengers cleaned up, reluctantly stood for some photos, then took off as well.

"That was probably the easiest day we've had," Clint remarked cheerfully.

"Except we smell like burnt grass," Natasha grumbled, trying to fix her hair where some grass had messed it up.

"There are worse things," Thor remarked sagely, "Remember the flying fish debacle?"

Everyone shuddered. Rotten fish was not a nice smell, or a nice texture for that matter.

JARVIS greeted them when they returned to the compound, stating that Bucky and Coulson were in the nursery with the pups. Since the pups were meant to be down for their nap, Tony wondered what the two Alphas had done to keep them awake.

He led the way to the nursery and quietly pushed open the door. Inside he stopped and stared.

The pups weren't in their cribs, they were on the floor, or more accurately, they were on the slumbering Alphas lying on the floor.

Coulson had Alexis and Vanessa tucked into his left side, Maria and Ryan on his right, and Matthew on his chest. He was snoring quietly, his head cushioned on a unicorn plushie. His jacket had been tossed aside and there was a princess themed blanket covering his legs, except for one bare foot.

Bucky lay next to him, Caleb and Aaron on his chest, Storm clutching his metal arm and Mikaela and Daniella wrapped around his flesh arm. His head rest on a teddy bear and his legs were covered by a frog blanket and a fish plushie.

Without hesitation, Tony whipped out his phone and took a photo. He sent it to Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, Cassandra and Sam. He saw Natasha and Clint doing the same.

Tony left the room before he could disturb the scene. The others followed, and they travelled to the living room where, as if a switch had been flipped, they all looked at one another and burst out laughing.

"Oh, my God, Goddess and the Cosmos," Tony hiccupped, "That was so cute!"

"I never thought seeing too badasses like Agent Coulson and the Winter Soldier, snuggling with a bunch of pups would be so amusing," Bruce chuckled, wiping his eyes.

"Who did you send those photos to?" Steve asked Clint and Natasha.

"SHIELD," they both replied with twin evil grins.

"I think we're going to have some pretty annoyed Alphas when they wake up," T'Challa noted, though he didn't stop grinning.

It was just the kind or release they all needed. Ross was away for good, never seen or heard from again. Maximoff was gone. Sophia Reynolds was gone. They had a new house, a thriving mating bond and happy pups.

Whatever shadows may lie on the horizon, the Avengers Pride would face them together.


End file.
